Team

The Southern Piedmont Entomology Lab 2023!

 

Arash Rashed
Principal Investigator
Insect Ecology and Pest Management

 

Atoosa Nikoukar, PhD Candidate
Integrated Pest Management; Research topics: 1) Entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi in pest control, 2) Biofumigation in pest management, 3) RNAi and targeting wireworms, 4) Olfactory cues and wireworm host preference

 

Eli Hoar, MSc Student
Host Plant Resistance and Chemical Control; Research topic: 1) Peanut variety screening for resistance to southern corn rootworm, 2) Antixenosis in rootworm management

 

Hadi Farrokhzadeh, Visiting PhD Student
Biological Control; Research topics: 1) Endophytic entomopathogens and pest control, 2) Plant-mediated interactions between endophytes and foliar pests
Shirin Parizad, PhD Student, barley yellow dwarf disease epidemiology; the interface between animal and crop production systems.

 

Usha Panta, MSc Student
Cultural Practices and Soil Health; Research topics: 1) Biofumigation and non-target organisms, 2) Soil biofumigation effects on foliar pest interactions

 

Ashish Tammisetti, Undergraduate Intern; Ashish is an undergraduate student in Biology at VCU and is helping with and learning about various aspects of agriculture and pest management research in both field and laboratory.