Godfrey Laboratory Research

Program Philosophy: Arthropod populations often reach damaging levels in field and vegetable crops. My research strives to integrate all available strategies, including cultural, biological, host plant resistance, and judicious use of insecticides, into pest management programs. Research designed to understand the interactions among these various control strategies is intricate, but can provide valuable information. Understanding pest biology and bionomics and the interactions with the environment, the plant host, and with other biota are critical for developing robust pest management programs. If pest populations can be kept below threshold levels, management costs and potential disruptions to the agroecosystem can be minimized.

Much of the research in my laboratory is conducted as a cooperative effort with Univ. of California Cooperative Extension Farm Advisors; this insures that the research results will be "grower-friendly". These studies are generally designed to provide "immediate" answers to critical questions. However, some studies of a more fundamental nature are also conducted, including plant physiological response to pest injury, investigations of plant defense strategies following injury, life history/biology of pest arthropods, etc.. In addition, evaluating and adapting basic discoveries of AES scientists to the field and, conversely, acting as a liaison between county-based advisors and faculty is a priority of my program. Delivery of results to the appropriate end-user is also stressed.

Working with field and vegetable crops in California encompasses more than 100 crops. I have chosen a few of these crops (4-6) on which to conduct research. As critical needs arise, there is flexibility to work on other crops.

Facilities

Laboratory facilities are located on the UC-Davis campus (Briggs Hall) and at the UC Cotton Research and Extension Center near Shafter, CA. Space and equipment are excellent for conducting applied ecology/IPM studies. Greenhouse space, in addition to laboratory space, is available at both locations. and controlled environmental chambers are available for use at Davis. University-owned vehicles are leased for transportation over the state. Plot space for field projects can be obtained, after going through the proper "channels" at the Rice Experiment Station, UC West Side Research and Extension Center, UC Cotton Research and Extension Center, and UC-Davis Research Farms, as well as through grower cooperators.