This will support research on wheat stem sawfly (WSS), and other wheat pests of potential significance. This program will involve surveys to evaluate the WSS flight timing monitoring at Orchard/New Raymer, WSS stubble infestation survey across Colorado, solidness scoring and dissections of wheat stems of the wheat breeding program’s Elite trials and WSS trials, and assessment of insecticide treatments against WSS. Additional research priorities include assessing WSS non-preference for certain hollow-stemmed varieties and CL Plus lines, impact of solidness on natural enemies, and developing high-throughput phenotyping to screen for WSS infestation. The funding will provide support for an entomology research associate and operating funds.

34th year of a continuing program for wheat entomology research under the leadership of Dr. Punya Nachappa, Department of Agricultural Biology.