Battle of the Bugs: How Insects Impact the Gorge

by | SOP 14

with Christopher Adams

Date & Time: April 17th, 2024 at 7 pm

Location: Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave, Hood River, OR

Lecture Description:

Tree fruit production is a defining characteristic of life in The Gorge. Pear and cherry production is fraught with challenges from insect pests that want to eat this fruit as much as we do. Pesticides are an important tool used to control these insect pests. Growers in our region are acutely aware of the environmental impact of these tools and work hard to minimize there use and to be surgical when applying these tools. Another control tool employed by growers in our region is natural enemies. Biological Control is the use of insects against other insects. How best to utilize and augment these tools is the area of research that the OSU MCAREC entomology lab is focused on. Come hear about current research around biological control of key pests of tree fruit here in The Gorge.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Christopher Adams is an Assistant Professor of Tree Fruit Entomology at Oregon State University stationed at the Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research & Extension Center in Hood River. Christopher received his Ph.D. in entomology from Michigan State University and has over ten years of experience in tree fruit entomology.