SOAR-REEU
student blog

Hi! My name is Ty Watkins, and a recent graduate of Virginia State University. This summer, I’m honored to be a part of the 2025 SOAR-REEU program working in the Kimball Lab, where I’m focusing on Northern Wild Rice, a plant deeply connected to Minnesota’s ecosystems and communities

My summer research focuses on a trait called seed shattering, which is when wild rice plants naturally release their seeds as they mature. While this is a natural and important part of the plant’s lifecycle, it creates challenges for growers and harvesters because seeds lost before harvest reduce the total yield. Understanding the genetics behind seed shattering is essential to help develop wild rice varieties that hold onto their seeds longer, ultimately improving crop yields and supporting sustainable agriculture and food security.

To explore this, I began by growing five different genotypes of wild rice in controlled water-based tanks. Throughout the growing period, I closely monitored the plants’ health and growth stages. Once the plants reached the vegetative stage, I collected leaf samples to use for genetic analysis. Collecting healthy, viable leaf tissue was crucial because the DNA we extract must be pure and intact for downstream analysis.

In the lab, I performed DNA extraction to isolate genetic material from the leaf samples. This process involved carefully breaking down the plant cells and separating the DNA from other cellular components. After isolating the DNA, I used Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to amplify specific gene regions suspected to influence seed shattering. PCR works by making millions of copies of these target genes, allowing us to study them in detail.

Next, I used gel electrophoresis to visualize the PCR products. This technique separates DNA fragments by size and allows us to see if the PCR was successful by the presence of bands on a gel. Seeing clear bands means we successfully amplified the right gene regions, which is exciting because it confirms our DNA work is on track.

Beyond the lab work, I observed how the different genotypes grew and developed over 10 weeks in the tanks. This helped me link the genetic data to the physical traits of the plants, giving a more complete picture of how genes influence seed shattering in real plants.

This project has been an incredible hands-on experience, teaching me valuable molecular biology techniques and deepening my understanding of how genetics plays a role in agriculture. It’s motivated me to continue pursuing research that addresses food security and sustainable crop production.

By understanding and eventually helping to control seed shattering, this research contributes to improving wild rice yields, reducing food loss, and supporting farmers and communities that depend on this important crop. I’m grateful and so blessed for the opportunity to be part of this work and excited to see where my research journey leads next.

This summer I worked in Dr. Laura Shannon’s lab at the University of Minnesota, studying potatoes; not the kind you eat at dinner (well, maybe eventually), but the kind that reveal how plant genetics shape important traits. I was mentored by Timileyin Sunmonu, a graduate student in the lab, and together we explored how something called ploidy, the number of chromosome sets in a plant, affects how potatoes grow and develop.

What I Studied

Most cultivated potatoes are tetraploid, which means they have four sets of chromosomes. But breeding at this level is slow and complicated. Diploid potatoes (just two sets of chromosomes) offer a promising alternative, but scientists still aren’t sure if lowering ploidy might change important traits, like flowering time or how fast the vines grow and cover the soil.

My Project Goal

The goal of my project was to compare dihaploid and tetraploid Red Norland potatoes, focusing on two specific traits:

• Flowering time: When plants first begin to flower

• Row closure: When the plants grow enough to cover the space between rows (important for weed suppression and yield)

What I Did

My work involved a lot of time outside, which I loved! I collected data from over 500 plots of potatoes, carefully recording when flowers appeared and how much ground the vines covered. I also worked with chlorophyll meters to check plant health, helped water greenhouse plants, and even prepped stem cuttings so we could grow new plants without using the original tubers.

What I Found

We found that dihaploid potatoes flowered slightly earlier and more often, while tetraploid potatoes more often achieved row closure. However, when we ran the stats, none of these differences were statistically significant. This was actually really cool, it means diploid breeding could be a viable option without sacrificing important traits.

What I Learned

The most rewarding part of this program wasn’t just the science, it was feeling myself grow, both as a researcher and as a person. I gained confidence, learned how to troubleshoot, and found excitement in learning new things every day. From statistics to sample collection, every task taught me something valuable.

I’m so thankful for the mentorship I received from Timileyin Sunmonu, the support from Dr. Shannon, and everything the SOAR-REEU program made possible.

Dear Readers, my name is Layla Stenson and I am extremely grateful to be a member of the 2025 SOAR- REEU program. I’m excited to share a glimpse into my experience as a summer research intern!

I am in a unique position as I have two host labs: the Cates Lab (Minnesota Soil Health Lab) and the Gutknecht Lab (Soil and Ecosystem Ecology for Climate Resilient Systems). I am extremely grateful to be a part of both, as they offer me complementary experiences in wet lab procedures and fieldwork. My mentors, Kat LaBine (MOSH) and Leah Hallett (SEECRS), played a huge role in shaping my experience. Both are lab managers rather than graduate students, which gave me a unique perspective on leadership, organization, and how a lab functions behind the scenes. Their guidance helped me approach my work more strategically and with a systems-thinking mindset.

These two labs collaborate on a larger project studying the ecosystem services of Forever Green crops. For those unfamiliar, the Forever Green Initiative is a research and crop development program at the University of Minnesota that seeks to improve soil health and water quality by developing perennial crops, winter annuals, and native woody species. The goal is to provide continuous living cover for the land while creating new opportunities for Minnesota’s farmers, industries, and communities—a true regenerative agriculture model.

My project explored a small slice of the ecosystem benefits of Forever Green crops: sediment and nutrient losses across sites implementing Forever Green crops and other soil health practices like cover cropping. I am evaluating a method for quantifying in-field soil movement and nutrient loss using erosion mats—6x6” pieces of layered mesh fabric placed directly onto bare soil. These mats capture sediment as it moves over the soil surface and offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional edge-of-field monitoring stations. We also tested mats containing an ion exchange resin packet (similar to those used to soften water) to absorb free-moving nitrate from surface runoff.

My fieldwork took place at three sites: Farm at the Arb and two in Redwood Falls. There are six small-scale plots with a variety of perennial crops and annual systems at the Farm at the Arb. Our Redwood Falls sites included two treatment conditions: a corn system with cover crops and one without. After placing our mats, they were collected and processed in the lab. I spent many days with a sieve in one hand and a toothbrush in the other, gently breaking up dried soil clumps and removing plant material from the mats’ mesh layers.

I also performed wet lab work in the SEECRS lab. We extracted the nitrate from both bulk soil and the ion exchange resin using potassium chloride. We then analyzed the nitrate concentration from these extracts using a colorimetric assay. The hue of the reaction told us how much nitrate was present. It was an exciting return to pipetting, even if my technique was a bit rusty after time away from the bench.

When it came time to interpret the data, our original plan was to compare the nitrate and sediment data from our erosion mats to surface runoff data from the edge-of-field monitoring stations at our Redwood Falls sites. Unfortunately, there was no runoff during the sampling period, so the stations did not collect relevant data. This meant I could not validate the erosion mat data as previously planned.

While disappointing at first, this limitation became one of the most important learning moments for me as a research intern. I realized that in agriculture and environmental work, data gaps are inevitable—something will always go unplanned or unaccounted for. In these instances, the best course of action is to adapt, rethink your approach, and find the story within the data you do have. Agricultural research demands a different kind of problem-solving, and this summer I encountered the complexity and reality of working with the environment and climate. My biggest lesson as a novice researcher has been the value of flexibility in this line of work.

Another unexpected joy of my project came from leaning into my tinkering instincts. After processing so many erosion mats, I began to notice subtle design features that seemed to influence sediment collection. This curiosity led me down a rabbit hole—researching the inventor of the mats and exploring other mat designs. One idea that occurred to me was wondering if quantifying the kinetic energy needed to displace soil at a site-specific level is possible with the mats. It’s a question I’m still exploring, and it has sparked a deeper interest in the design and mechanics behind these tools.

Ultimately, my experience as a research intern has solidified that agriculture is where I want to be. When I started, I had the passion, but I don’t think I understood the kind of challenge agricultural research is. I remember asking a member of the Cates Lab why she liked agricultural research. She told me she enjoys how complicated it is, and for some reason, I doubted that. It’s the kind of work I envision myself doing without ever being bored—there is so much to account for, so much room for error. Agricultural research is undeniably complex, yet it offers a profound opportunity to understand the forces shaping our land and to inform smarter, more resilient ways of managing it. It has been an honor to explore soil science - especially soil erosion and nutrient loss- fits into this larger picture.

I entered the SOAR-REEU program with a desire to learn about agriculture. My grandparents were farmers, and while that wasn’t my story, I’ve always wanted to understand that way of life. I was especially excited for our field trips to meet members of the larger Minnesota agriculture community, and I ended up learning so much about what it takes to grow food. One surprise that shaped my growth was just how impactful the fieldwork was. From our first trip to the Women’s Environmental Institute to spreading biochar and bloodmeal at Urban Roots, those experiences brought our cohort closer. The physical nature of the work—being outside in the heat, picking weeds, getting our hands dirty—requires care. You can’t do it without sharing a piece of yourself with the land, whether through sweat mixing with the soil or your laughter meeting the ears of a nearby friend. SOAR has made a big impact on me. It helped me realize that I want to do work that keeps me connected to both land and community. I’m especially thankful for the supplemental experiences that helped me see myself in this space—whether through hands-on learning at local farms or conversations with professionals whose careers reflect the kind of dynamic, meaningful work I’m drawn to. This program was built on the complexity I was seeing in agriculture research and showed me the ways that people in the field adapt to meet that complexity head-on.

My name is Hans Arvidson-Hicks and I’m very grateful to be a member of the 2025 SOAR-REEU cohort. I work in the Teh lab under Dr. Soon Li Teh, who is currently focused on grape breeding and developing new cultivars of table and wine grapes that are disease-resistant and can be grown in cold climates. When creating a new cultivar of grapes with potential commercial value, several factors must be considered during cross-breeding, including taste, grape cluster size, and disease resistance. This summer, I’m working on a project that uses convolutional neural networks to identify and score disease-resistant grapevines quickly.  Hopefully, in the long term, an AI system can be used to find suitable vines that have disease-resistant traits for further crossbreeding. This information could be then compared to the genome of each plant to highlight specific loci (the specific locations on a chromosome) where genes for disease resistance reside. I have also been fortunate to work outdoors in the Horticulture Research Center (HRC), where I have been involved in daily operations that come with running a vineyard and maintaining grapevine health.

Our research begins with using a high-powered stereo camera, strobe light, GPS, and gator. All equipment is mounted to the gator and controlled manually as the gator drives through the select plot of 955 vines within the HRC. The stereo camera will take many thousands of geotagged photos as it is driven between the rows. This task reoccurs weekly. From this larger dataset of 4000-6000 photos taken a few images are selected to manually annotate. This entails masking (highlighting all the pixels of the desired object) various traits of the plant, such as the canopy or foliage, the grape cluster size, the grape cluster color, and any diseases noticeable on the foliage which could include downy mildew, powdery mildew, black rot, and phylloxera. These trained images are fed into a deep learning or Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) computer program made by collaborators at Cornell University. The CNN will spot all these desirable traits like cluster size or disease resistance, without manual annotation. To test the reliability of the neural network in identifying grapevine disease, manual data on the selected plot must be collected. This entails walking in the field weekly and identifying the level of infestation on each plant. Once the neural network is fully trained and functional, this data can be compared to the predictive data of the CNN to evaluate its accuracy.

I’ve also enjoyed my time in the vineyard watching and participating in the day-to-day operations with the grounds crew that keeps the vineyard running. I’ve been able to help with emasculation of the flowers and cross-pollination during my first weeks, take samples from plants, and help with cutting off unwanted shoots and training the vines to grow along the trellis.

Before coming to the University of Minnesota, I had no experience or knowledge in any crop breeding program. It’s been cool to tour the vineyard and see wild vines and early samples of grapevines growing throughout the country and world that’s offspring have been used to make up the breeding stock present in today’s successful grape cultivars. I also particularly enjoyed watching the cross-pollination process in the spring, where pollen is collected by hand and then spread to newly emasculated plants.

I’ve been lucky enough to participate in summer research at the University of Minnesota in the past, but the SOAR-REEU program has been different in the levels of exposure to grad school. I’ve been able to shadow a grad student, Madan Pandey, in his research and be far more acquainted with the day-to-day activities of grad school as well as the decisions and scheduling that are taken into account. I’ve been allowed to make direct decisions in where I want to take my research, making me a participant rather than simply doing data collection of previous projects. I’ve been able to spend more time getting acquainted with prior genetics research that is used as the basis for Madan’s and other grad students' work in the fruit lab. I’m also grateful for the way the SOAR-REEU program has connected me with the local Twin Cities farm network through the weekly field trips. As a longtime resident of the Twin Cities area, I hope that in the future I can be a volunteer at some of the nonprofit farms I’ve been able to visit.  I would very much like to work with agriculture in the future and am very grateful to Dr. Soon Li and everyone at SOAR-REEU for the guidance.

Hi! My name is Mirelys Estopinales and I am an undergraduate participating in the SOAR-REEU summer internship program this Summer. I am a part of McCaghey lab, which is in the plant pathology department. The goal of my summer project is to understand more about the relationship between cover crop type, duration, and depth of burial and observed through what is called viability testing, which identifies if fungal pathogens spread to the plants I’m observing.

Specifically, my focus is on the fungus Rhizoctonia solani, a pathogen known to cause root rot in soybean cover crops across Minnesota. Under favorable conditions, this disease can be particularly destructive, significantly reducing crop yields. Inner look, what does this research look like in practice? In reality, there’s quite a diverse number of tasks related to my work required to prepare. Our tasks alternate throughout the week. Some of the activities I have been doing in the lab are directly for my projects, while other days I help out with different aspects of other projects in the lab such doing a variety of things and getting to observe lots of fun things such as the growth of Apothecia.

Apothecia are these cute little small, mushroom structures that emerge from sclerotia in the soil, while sclerotia are the fungus’s tough, survival structures. Sclerotia can persist in the soil for years, and under favorable conditions, they germinate to produce apothecia. These apothecia then release ascospores, which are dispersed by wind and can infect new plants. In the lab, I have prepared PDA (potato dextrose agar) media, sterilized sclerotia samples, plated them onto the media, and assessed their viability. By culturing sclerotia on PDA, we can observe the growth of sclerotial mycelium, which is what I have been working on most of the time while in the lab. On other days, my work shifts to the field, where I assist with weeding, setting up irrigation, conducting stand counts, collecting samples, and documenting field observations.

So far, I feel very engaged with my research and my experiences in the lab. Studying in a lab alongside the SOAR-REEU program has provided a good life balance and kept me looking forward to the different ways I could help, observe, and apply my understanding on a daily basis. It felt like the SOAR-REEU program offered meaningful, short-term applications that complemented the longer, more repetitive, but still satisfying research work in my lab.

Prior to coming here, I had no experience working within plant pathology directly and the REU based trips where diverse plant specimens were talked about was an effective short-term & engaging way to learn about plants and sustainable farming practices outside of research papers for my Lab. Furthermore, I definitely felt as though my learning experience within the SOAR-REEU program has been heightened prior to coming here.  I was very new to the research process and so having research seminars alongside the hands-on work I was doing was very useful.

Additionally I had very little exposure to sustainable food systems and production, and I was surprised by the trips SOAR-REEU setup for me from understanding environmental sustainability, the diversity of foods and plant grains from industrial Hemp and unique Grains discussed by breeders, some of which I've never seen before, and with their environment; ecosystem; and larger community supplied to were always intriguing and taught me a shocking amount about the culture of food and how it intersects with my study of environment sustainability, from procurement, to boosting culturally relevant food groups for diverse communities, I feel like I have gotten a really good scope of several different roles within the process of sustainable food production.

Hi, my name is Shelton Manning Jr., and I’m a second-year undergraduate research student from South Carolina State University. This summer, I’ve had the opportunity to conduct research here at the University of Minnesota under the guidance of Dr. Matthew Clark in the Fruit Breeding Lab, alongside my mentors Kate Fessler, Douglas Vines, and Mike Patrick.

My research focuses on studying three different plant variations within the rose family, specifically from the Rubus genus which includes blackberries, raspberries, and dewberries. The species I’m working with include Rubus alumnus, Rubus allegheniensis, and Rubus rosa.

So far, I’ve collected over 250 images of these three plant species from the University of Minnesota’s Herbarium. I’ve begun measuring the length, width, and widest point of the leaves from first-year canes. For the inflorescences on second-year canes, I’m measuring their length and width. By analyzing both the leaves and inflorescences from different growth stages, my goal is to improve species identification and classification. This research could ultimately support more accurate field identification, benefiting plant breeding, conservation, and broader ecological efforts.

Working in the fruit lab has been nothing short of a rewarding experience. Since my first week, I’ve had a multitude of opportunities to engage directly with a variety of fruits, including grapes, blackberries, apples, and blueberries. My mentors have also taken the time to give me quick but insightful lessons on topics I wasn’t familiar with, helping me along the way. I’m truly grateful to be part of such an outstanding research team.

The experience of being a part of the SOAR-REEU 2025 Cohort has far exceeded my initial expectations, and each week presents a new opportunity for personal growth thanks to the engaging workshops and insightful field trips the program consistently provides.

Hello there! My name is Carter Miller. I currently attend South Carolina State University, the home of the Bulldogs, as an undergraduate majoring in agribusiness. I am a current intern in the University of Minnesota’s horticultural science department in the Miller Lab. I have been granted the opportunity to get my hands dirty in the learning garden! Thanks to my experiences in the learning garden, I have learned how to care for a wide variety of plants. The importance of plants is just as valuable as human life. To maintain a fully functional cycle of everyday life activities, we must eat, drink, and sleep every day. At the same time, I'm also researching the effects of mulching containers with American hazelnut husks on weed control, soil moisture, and plant growth. I'll be comparing different mulch types and noting any differences I observe.

From what I have learned, summers are short in Minnesota, and Minnesotans take every opportunity to enjoy the warmer weather. Whether it is growing flowers in the summer, harvesting crops in the fall, or even keeping plants indoors in the winter months, there is a genuine respect for nature." I am quite familiar with the greenhouse and gardens from my past experiences in South Carolina, but I was able to enter a "mist room" for the first time in my life at the PGF. My other intern colleagues were given the opportunity to set up their plants for research in this room, which is filled with tiny plants. The water is rotated and given to the plants every several minutes. I have learned more about the potential and variability of these plants while studying in Minnesota!

I successfully moved plants from the greenhouse into the educational garden. It is a different experience to see these plants grow over time. Although weeding takes time and lots of effort, I am aware of how crucial it is to allow plants to grow. I have learned the value of garden maintenance through practical experiences like pulling dead leaves, pruning old stems, and planting new annuals. I haven’t figured it out and probably will not find a remedy to the chipmunks running around making holes in the mulch and burying a few acorns, but I am grateful for the chance to work with such outstanding leaders and mentors that I have been placed with.

Working alongside graduate students and fellow interns has deepened my daily gardening knowledge and practices. Even after just a few hours of working with them, they had already helped me improve my overall gardening skills and further appreciate plant life. For example, I learned the importance of disentangling the roots of plants before planting, just to mention one of the “knowledge nuggets.” I have also enjoyed working in the horticulture department because there is always something to do, regardless of the weather. We are constantly engaged in some type of activity. Whether it’s checking greenhouse plants on rainy days, relocating pots, or managing weeds, there is always something to get done. The good news is that I will be able to share my research experience with "petunias" with everyone when I return to South Carolina. After working in the learning garden, you are guaranteed to learn something new and expand your understanding, even if you don't know what flower you are looking at. I think that has been the most rewarding, not knowing what a plant is but gaining insight and further knowledge enough to eventually figure it out.

Without a doubt, I will tell my classmates, mentors, and local 1890 program managers about this most exciting, interesting, and informative internship. Many thanks, SOAR REEU.

Hi everyone! My name is Gema Gomez, and I am an undergraduate participating in the SOAR-REEU summer internship program this Summer. I am a part of Dr. Grossman's lab, where I am researching the effects of legume cover crops on nitrogen fixation in high tunnels..

We are using legume cover crops that attract beneficial soil bacteria called rhizobia, which fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert it into ammonium, a form that plants can use for growth. Rhizobia enter the plant roots and form specialized structures called nodules, where nitrogen fixation takes place. This forms a symbiotic relationship between the legume plants and rhizobia, benefiting both. Using legume cover crops can serve as a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers, which are often more expensive and commonly over applied, leading to nutrient runoff into waterways.

The unique aspect of this study is that it is conducted within high tunnels - structure that have become increasingly popular among Minnesota farmers seeking to boost yields per acre. Integrating legume cover crops into high tunnel systems not only enhances soil health, but also extends the growing season, ultimately leading to greater overall profits. Through a collaborative effort between the University of Minnesota and the University of New Hampshire, we’re working with both emerging and experienced farmers across the Midwest and Northeast to support and apply this research in real-world settings.

The unique aspect of this study is that it is conducted within high tunnels - structure that have become increasingly popular among Minnesota farmers seeking to boost yields per acre. Integrating legume cover crops into high tunnel systems not only enhances soil health, but also extends the growing season, ultimately leading to greater overall profits. Through a collaborative effort between the University of Minnesota and the University of New Hampshire, we’re working with both emerging and experienced farmers across the Midwest and Northeast to support and apply this research in real-world settings.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been collecting soil samples from farmers participating in our experiment. I’ve been processing the samples by sieving the soil and performing nitrate extractions to analyze nitrogen levels based on the type of cover crops used. One highlight was visiting Kathy Ruhland’s farm in Montgomery, which is about an hour from campus, where I collected a biomass sample of Austrian Winter Pea and it was amazing to see the root nodules actively working to enrich the soil!

I also got to be a part of a high tunnel workshop with emerging farmers who want to learn more about high tunnels and how to manage them and their crops. We taught them the key to tressling using tomato and squash as examples. We also got to teach the farmers how to effectively prune the plants to prevent disease and bruising. I was very excited to talk to some of the farmers about cover crops and the benefits to they will bring to their soil and their crops!

I’m excited to continue learning and growing through the SOAR-REEU program while contributing to this important research. Through this project, I've been able to interact with passionate farmers and researchers throughout Minnesota while applying scientific ideas in real-world agricultural settings. I'm eager to keep exploring sustainable agricultural practices, cover cropping systems, and soil health.

Besides working with my lab group, I have spent time working with other groups and programs. The SOAR-REEU cohort got to visit the Women’s Environmental Institute to help out on their farm. I got to work with transplanting lettuce crops and got to learn a lot about their farm through the tour they gave us. I also got to help volunteer at the Student Organic Farm here on the Saint Paul campus. It was awesome working on their farm and working with the students. I got to transplant lettuce, weed, and cover an area with mulch. This week I got to volunteer at The Good Acre! Our cohort got to visit their facility and we learned so much about their hub. They offered us many volunteer opportunities, and I chose to participate in one this week. I got to weigh peas, arugula, and turkey. I really enjoyed learning more about their work and connecting with the employees. I’m thankful for these opportunities and look forward to continuing my involvement in meaningful work!

So far, it's been a fulfilling experience, and I'm excited to see what the remainder of the summer will bring!

Hello everyone! My name is Beverly and I am an intern for the SOAR-REEU program at the University of Minnesota. I am currently working in the turf lab where I am researching how karrikin, a common plant hormone found in smoke, affects germination in turfgrass. Specifically, we are looking at a slow germinating turfgrass called Kentucky bluegrass. This hormone is known to promote germination in plants after wildfires, but what makes karrikins so compelling is how they can also promote germination in plants not prone to wildfires. By better understanding how karrikin affects Kentucky bluegrass, this can lead to more use of this environmentally friendly hormone, and further research to see how karrikin can assist in plant growth during changing climatic conditions.

In these past two weeks, we have begun our first experiment with karrikins and turfgrass in the growth chamber. We have soaked turfgrass seeds in different concentrations of liquid smoke, which contains karrikin. So, this initial experiment will help us gauge how the turfgrass will respond to karrikin in this form. This will also be helpful as a comparison when we conduct another treatment with pure karrikin. While we are still in the early trials, I am very excited to see how the experiment pans out!

Besides the research I am focusing on, I have also been able to learn more about the research graduate students are conducting. This includes research for shade tolerance, freeze tolerance, and intercropping. For example, I have been fortunate enough to help take data on intercropping research where I was able to analyze plots in Roseau, MN. In doing this, I was also able to explore the beautiful nature that northern Minnesota has to offer. Overall, I am excited to continue working in the turf lab and to learn more about the research that is being done!

This summer, I am part of the Rogers Lab, which studies the spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), an invasive pest of berries and stone fruits. While SWD doesn't harm people who consume the contaminated fruit, it causes the fruit to become mushy and brown before it can be eaten. This invasive species is especially detrimental in Minnesota, which has been named the raspberry consumption capital of the world according to Driscoll’s, Inc.

During research on SWD, scientists were able to identify a parasitoid that serves as a biological control agent for the pest. The parasitoid is called the Ganaspis kimorum and originated in Southeast Asia, where SWD are indigenous to. I am tasked with studying parasitoids and SWD emergence from Lonicera fruits—more commonly known as honeysuckle. Invasive honeysuckle species serve as host plants for SWD, and where there is SWD, there are hopefully also parasitoids. I will be determining parasitoid abundance across urban and rural settings, collecting my data from sites around campus while working with the Smith Lab. My mentor, Jay, and I will also visit various fruit farms to collect fruit. Once we have collected the fruit, we will then analyze the SWD and parasitoid populations that emerge from the fruit and via traps.

I haven’t been able to do much hands-on work yet, as we are waiting for the fruit to begin ripening—which won’t be possible until July. However, last week I was able to tour the Lonicera populations on campus with the Smith lab, which was helpful in identifying the sites where I want to collect data.