Ames Herbert, Jr., develops (research 25%) and implements (Extension 75%) programs to improve management of insect pests of soybean, peanut, cotton, and small grains that reduce reliance on pesticides yet maintain crop quality and profitability. He works collaboratively with grower and industry groups, Extension agents, and university and agency personnel and provides leadership to departmental, college, VCE, and university committees and programs. Currently, he is the State IPM Coordinator and Extension Project Leader for the Department of Entomology. Projects include research with use of soybean leaf area (LAI) to assess insect defoliation and aid in management decisions, evaluation of GMO insect-resistant cotton varieties and development of new thresholds for hemipterous pests of cotton, evaluation of peanut cultivars and tobacco thrips management practices for limiting incidence and losses to tomato spotted wilt virus, survey and management of stink bug species in soybean, survey and assessment of native stink bug egg parasitoid species, and research on efficacy of insecticide seed treatments for control of early season insect pests of cotton, small grain and soybean.
