The department has an excellent national and international reputation in this area, particularly for studies of the modes of action and selective toxicity of insecticides and natural products that affect insects, and of mechanisms of insecticide resistance. We have produced the Pest Resistance Management Newsletter biannually since 1992, which offers research articles and reviews and has a circulation of over 2,000 worldwide. This group works closely with other faculty members in IPM to develop pest resistance management concepts and strategies.
Faculty and Staff
1. Knockdown resistance (kdr) of insects to pyrethroid insecticides
Contact: Ke Dong.
Voltage-gated sodium channels are targets of various neurotoxins including pyrethroid insecticides. Pyrethroid insecticides are widely used to control many agriculturally and medically important insect pests. Due to intensive use of pyrethroids, however, many pest populations have developed resistance to these compounds.
2. Resistant Arthropods Database
Web site: Pesticide Alternaives Laboratory.
Contact: Mark Whalon.
The MSU Resistant Pest Database includes mites, spiders and insects that have had one or more documented cases of resistance.
3. Resistant Pest Management Newsletter
Web site. Resistant Pest Management newsletter
Contact: Mark Whalon.
A biannual newsletter produced in cooperation with the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) and the Western Regional Coordinating Committee (WRCC-60)
4. Chemical helps bees tell who’s friend or foe
Article: Chemical helps bees tell who's friend or foe
Contact: Robert Hollingworth.
Research published in Nature identifies a chemical that increases a bee's ability to identify nestmates. It also makes the bees more aggressive to bees they aren't related to.