 |
| From left, USDA Biological Science Technician Stacy Blomquist, SU Ag Center interim Chancellor Dr. Adell Brown, USDA Entomologist Dr. Brian Strom and SU Ag Center Professor of Urban Forestry Dr. Yadong Qi pose for a photo after holding a meeting on the effects of live oak gall midge on Louisiana's live oak trees. |
 |
| Photo of live oak gall midge clusters on an oak tree at Southern University. |
Baton
Rouge, La – Scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)
Forest Service visited the Southern University Ag Center on Thursday, September
3 to discuss the emerging issue of live oak midge gall infestations and damage to
live oak trees in the Baton Rouge area.
Research
Entomologist Dr. Brian Strom and Biological Science Technician Stacy Blomquist
from the USDA’s Southern Research Station 4552 in Pineville, LA met with interim
Chancellor Dr. Adell Brown, Urban Forestry Program Leader Dr. Kamran Abdollahi,
Professor of Urban Forestry Dr. Yadong Qi, and Postdoctoral Researcher Dr.
Vanessa Ferchaud.
The
infections are caused by a tiny insect called a “gall midge.” These winged pests
were discovered in Texas in 1999. The gall midge lay eggs in massive budlike
cluster rosette galls on the branches of live oak trees. The cluster competes
with the tree’s branches for water and nutrients, adding weight to the trees
and eventually causes die-back of the branches and decline in the tree’s vigor.
Dr.
Qi believes a lack of natural predators has aided in the species becoming so
invasive.
Drs.
Qi, Ferchaud and other SU Ag Center researchers first noticed the gall on the
Southern University campus in February 2009 and began collecting data on the
species.
During
the meeting, Dr. Qi gave a presentation detailing the current progress made by
the SU Ag Center towards understanding the biology, gall formation, behavior
and impact of this new pest on oak trees.
The
meeting provided an opportunity for the SU Ag Center to build a joint effort
with the USDA to explore effective control strategies to reduce damage caused
by this invasive species on our precious southern live oak tree population.
For
additional information on live oak midge gall, contact Professor of Urban
Forestry Dr. Yadong Qi at, 225-771-4408 or via e-mail at
yadong_qi@suagcenter.com.
###
No comments:
Post a Comment