USA | Corn rootworm

Monsanto Corn Rootworm Knowledge Research Program Announces Grants

Recipients Will Pursue Research Dedicated To Finding Solutions To Help Manage Corn Rootworm.

3/26/2014

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Monsanto Company has announced that six new recipients will be awarded research grants as part of the Corn Rootworm Knowledge Research Program.  The program, which started in early 2013 and recently was extended to 2016, provides merit-based awards of up to $250,000 per award per year for up to three years for outstanding research projects that address specific aspects of corn rootworm biology, genomics and management issues. 

 “The program is extremely beneficial to the research and academic community as its goal is not to examine product-specific issues, but rather look at the broader challenges farmers face when dealing with corn rootworm,” said Dr. Spencer, entomologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, who received one of this year’s grants. “I’m honored to receive this grant, which will help further my research into the behavioral, physiological and ecological factors that contribute to the western corn rootworm’s adaptations to a variety of pest management strategies.”

The CRW Knowledge Research Program is guided by a 10-person Advisory Committee that is co-chaired by Dr. Steve Pueppke, Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies and AgBioResearch Director at Michigan State University, and Dr. Dusty Post, Monsanto’s global insect management lead. Additional committee members include experts from academia and agricultural organizations, and were selected based on their expertise in corn rootworm biology and insect management practices.

“The valuable research that is being generated through this program is continuing to improve our understanding of this challenging pest and provide economical, practical and sustainable solutions for farmers,” said Post.

The six awards granted focus on a number of items from evaluating how best to manage corn rootworm under current production practices to evaluating strategies to delay the onset of resistance evolution. The award recipients are:

• Joseph Spencer, University of Illinois
• Nicholas Miller, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Paul Mitchell, University of Wisconsin
• Blair Siegfried, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Douglas Golick, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Mike Caprio, Mississippi State University
• Christian Krupke, Purdue University

A listing of the winners and background on their projects is available on the Monsanto Corn Rootworm Knowledge Program Web page.

“The Corn Rootworm Knowledge grant has enabled field and laboratory research on western corn rootworm that would not have been possible without this support,” said Aaron Gassmann of Iowa State University and Kenneth Ostlie of the University of Minnesota, two recipients of last year’s grants. “Bt corn for management of western corn rootworm is a valuable tool for farmers in the Corn Belt. Information gained through this research will help to preserve the efficacy of Bt corn for management of western corn rootworm, and will enhance the ability of farmers to effectively manage this pest.”