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Center for Arthropod Management Technologies (CAMTech)

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Center Overview

The Center for Arthropod Management Technologies (CAMTech) streamlines efforts to develop technologies for effective management of arthropod and nematode pests and disease vectors. CAMTech research is aligned with the needs of industry to expedite delivery of new tools for pest management.

Arthropod and nematode pests harm food production and human health and welfare on a massive scale. The pests of primary importance change with time following the accidental introduction of new species, development of resistance in managed pests, changing agricultural and environmental practices, and climate change, which increases the opportunity for some pest species to thrive.

CAMTech coordinates the efforts of industry, government, and academia to manage arthropod and nematode pests to meet the need for new tools for pest management.

The goals of CAMTech are to:

Conduct precompetitive research and transfer knowledge to industrial partners for in-house development.
Optimize and extend the versatility of current arthropod and nematode management technologies.
Train personnel for potential future employment within industry.

Universities

University of Kentucky
University of Florida

View Center Website

Center Personnel

Bryony C. Bonning
Center Director
+1 352 273 3984
bbonning@ufl.edu

Grace Crummer
Center Coordinator
+1 352 294 6791
camtech@ifas.ufl.edu

Laura H. Ruberg
Center Staff
+1 859 492 1774
Laura.Ruberg@uky.edu

S. Reddy Palli
Center Co-Director
+1 859 257 7450
rpalli@uky.edu

Research Focus

Integrated pest management

The integration of multiple pest management methods (known as integrated pest management) is a proven but infrequently adopted strategy for sustainable pest suppression, in part because results can vary depending on many factors. Inconsistent efficacy of a given management strategy may be resolved by further research into the biology of a given pest and modeling for increased understanding of the ecology of the cropping system, resulting in recommendations for improved management. For example, understanding of insect dispersal and reproductive capacity is key to accurate modeling of resistance development and its likely rate of spread from a point of origin.

Methods and tools

Limitations associated with methodology or tools commonly restrict research required for the development or full exploitation of pest control strategies. For example, cell lines for primary pest species are often lacking, with existing cell lines offering limited benefit. In addition, novel tools such as nanoparticles are under investigation for the delivery of bioactives for pest control.

Physiology

Increased understanding of a variety of physiological processes could provide the foundation for novel approaches to insect pest control (e.g., the movement of proteins across the insect gut into the hemocoel), or define key physiological challenges associated with control of a given pest (e.g., the digestive enzymes of stink bugs). In many organisms, including arthropods, introduction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) results in specific inactivation of an endogenous gene with sequence identity to the introduced dsRNA, a process known as RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi provides for the development of target-specific management methods for insect pests. Application of dsRNA knocks down genes in some arthropod species, and the practical application of this approach for arthropod control has been demonstrated. However, research is needed to delineate factors that limit the application of RNAi to certain arthropods, to fully exploit the potential of this new approach.

Resistance

The use of classical chemical insecticides was a major contributing factor to the increase in agricultural productivity in the 20th century, and insecticide application is still the primary management practice for most arthropod pests. However, repeated application of chemicals almost invariably results in development of resistance in the targeted pest, with insecticide resistance already documented in more than 500 species of insects and mites. As a result, a wide variety of chemicals effectively employed in the past are no longer useful against many pest species. The repeated use of any pest management tool, including transgenic plants expressing insect-specific toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis, entails a very high risk of bringing about resistance. There is a pressing need to find new approaches to manage pests that are resistant to current management approaches.

Awards

1821914

Phase II IUCRC at University of Florida: Center for Arthropod Management Technologies

The development of new pest management approaches is critical for the production of sufficient food for the increasing human population, and for prevention of arthropod-transmitted disease to plants and humans. The more widespread pest distribution associated with changing climatic conditions exacerbates the need for new pest management tools. The economic losses associated with the activities of arthropods and nematodes are a significant burden to society through both agricultural losses and human health costs. The Center for Arthropod Management Technologies (CAMTech) addresses issues that limit effective management of the major insect and nematode pests that impact agriculture and human health. The center addresses the need for specific knowledge and research tools to expedite delivery of pest management solutions by industry partners to the marketplace, and to investigate both new approaches, and expansion of existing approaches for pest suppression. The major limitations in the field are common to the agricultural biotechnology and urban pest management industries and restrict widespread adoption of strategies shown to be effective in some systems. The center contributes key advances through state of the art, industrially relevant research and by training of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers including underrepresented groups, toward continued advancement of the field. CAMTech serves as a platform for innovative, interdisciplinary research activities at the interface of academia, government, and industry. The center conducts non-competitive research of crucial importance to the industrial sector using advanced methods such as next-generation sequencing and -omics, confocal microscopy, RNA interference and genome editing. Research expertise at the University of Florida site, which has the largest entomology and nematology department in the U.S., includes insect physiology and toxicology, microbiology, resistance management, integrated pest management and agricultural nematology. University of Florida participants work with a very diverse agriculture and a diverse range of pests of urban and public health importance. This diversity results from the large number of invasive species in Florida combined with the sub-tropical climate that favors pest populations. The research needs of industries in the agricultural biotechnology and human health domains align well with the expertise of university participants providing for the expedited development of pest management solutions to the benefit of agricultural sustainability and to public wellbeing. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

1821936

Phase II IUCRC at University of Kentucky: Center for Arthropod Management Technologies (CAMTech)

The development of new pest management approaches is critical for the production of sufficient food for the increasing human population, and for prevention of arthropod-transmitted disease to plants and humans. The more widespread pest distribution associated with changing climatic conditions exacerbates the need for new pest management tools. The economic losses associated with the activities of arthropods and nematodes are a significant burden to society through both agricultural losses and human health costs. The Center for Arthropod Management Technologies (CAMTech) addresses issues that limit effective management of the major insect and nematode pests that impact agriculture and human health. The center addresses the need for specific knowledge and research tools to expedite delivery of pest management solutions by industry partners to the marketplace, and to investigate both new approaches, and expansion of existing approaches for pest suppression. The major limitations in the field are common to the agricultural biotechnology and urban pest management industries and restrict widespread adoption of strategies shown to be effective in some systems. The center contributes key advances through state of the art, industrially relevant research and by training of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers including underrepresented groups, toward continued advancement of the field. CAMTech serves as a platform for innovative, interdisciplinary research activities at the interface of academia, government, and industry. Expertise in entomology and other departments at the University of Kentucky include insect physiology, genomics, population genetics, vector biology, and symbiosis. The research needs of industries in the agricultural biotechnology and human health domains align well with the expertise of university participants providing for the expedited development of pest management solutions to the benefit of agricultural sustainability and public wellbeing. Advanced methods including next-generation sequencing and -omics, confocal microscopy, RNA interference and genome editing are employed to conduct non-competitive research of crucial importance to the industrial sector. The research products are transferred to member companies through quarterly reports and presentations at bi-annual IAB meetings and to the public in the form of publications and presentations at conferences. Fundamental knowledge gained from center research on mechanisms of RNA interference, insecticide resistance, toxicological effects of insecticides, physiological processes of pests and disease vectors facilitate R&D efforts of industry and expedite the development of new products for pest and disease vector control. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

Member Organizations

IUCRC affiliated member organizations are displayed as submitted by the Center. Non-federal organizations are not selected, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the National Science Foundation.

Bayer (Monsanto Legacy)
Bayer CropScience LP
Corteva (DuPont Pioneer Hi-Bred legacy)
Cotton Inc
Devgen NV (Syngenta Crop Protection reassigned)
Environmental Science US Inc
FuturaGene
Genective
Syngenta Ltd.