Experimental Station

SUPPRESSION OF HOST-SEEKING IXODES SCAPULARIS ABUNDANCES AND INTERRUPTION OF PATHOGEN TRANSMISSION THROUGH ORALLY DELIVERED SYSTEMIC ACARICIDE TREATMENT OF WHITE-TAILED DEER AND PEROMYSCUS SPP.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** GUS SCHUMACHER NUTRITION INCENTIVE COVID RELIEF AND RESPONSE FUNDING WILL ENABLE EXPERIMENTAL STATION'S LINK UP ILLINOIS PROGRAM TO ADDRESS CRITICAL FOOD INSECURITY NEEDS IN COMMUNITIES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND BUILD UPON THE 2020-2022 GUSNIP PROJECT. AS THE PANDEMIC HAS PROGRESSED, WE HAVE WITNESSED THE INEQUITABLE IMPACT OF RACE ON THE MORTALITY OF THE VIRUS. IN ILLINOIS, IN THE LAST YEAR, BLACK AND BROWN ILLINOISANS WERE CONTRACTING AND DYING FROM COVID-19 AT SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATES THAN WHITE ILLINOISANS. THE DISPROPORTIONATE RACIAL IMPACT OF COVID-19 IN ILLINOIS IS BEING FELT MOST DRAMATICALLY WITHIN CHICAGO. WITH 273,873 CASES TO DATE, CHICAGO'S HISPANIC POPULATION HAS SUFFERED 33.65% OF CASES AND 33.5% OF DEATHS DESPITE REPRESENTING 10.8% OF THE POPULATION, WHILE THE CITY'S BLACK POPULATION SUFFERED 18.2% OF CASES AND 35.6% OF DEATHS, DESPITE REPRESENTING 29.8% OF THE POPULATION (CHICAGO DEPT. OF PUBLIC HEALTH, APRIL 29, 2021). BLACK AND HISPANIC RESIDENTS ALSO EXHIBIT HIGHER VACCINE HESITANCY THAN WHITE RESIDENTS, INCREASING ONGOING RISK. OVER 3 YEARS, AS COVID-19 CONTINUES TO IMPACT BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES, THIS PROJECT AIMS TO ENSURE AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO FRESH PRODUCE FOR SNAP CLIENTS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, WHILE INCREASING PRODUCE CONSUMPTION LONG TERM AND IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES.WITH NON-FEDERALCOVID RESPONSE FUNDING, IN FALL 2020, LINK UP ILLINOIS PILOTED LINK MATCH AT TWO CORNER STORES LOCATED IN TWO OF CHICAGO'S MOST FOOD INSECURE SOUTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS--MORGAN MINI MART (ENGLEWOOD) AND MI MEXICO GROCERY STORE (GAGE PARK). EPICENTERS OF THE CORONAVIRUS IN CHICAGO, THESE BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES HAVE LONG SUFFERED FROM THE NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACTS OF FOOD INSECURITY, EXACERBATED BY THE CORONAVIRUS.WITH2020-2022 GUSNIP FUNDING, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING FUNDS TO MORE THAN 100 ILLINOIS FARMERS MARKETS, FARM STANDS, MOBILE MARKETS, FOOD COOPERATIVES, AND CSAS, EXPERIMENTAL STATION IS PARTNERING WITH THE MIDWEST INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ASSOCIATION (MIRA) TO PILOT LINK MATCH PROGRAMS AT THREE INDEPENDENT GROCERY STORES ON CHICAGO'S SOUTH AND WEST SIDES. STORES HAVE BEEN SELECTED AT ONCE FOR THEIR LOCATION IN HISPANIC AND BLACK COMMUNITIES OF NEED, THEIR DIFFERING SCALES AND BUSINESS MODELS, AND FOR THE STORE OWNERS' WILLINGNESS NOT ONLY TO IMPLEMENT THE LINK MATCH PROGRAM AND PROVIDE REPORTING, BUT ALSO TO WORK WITH LINK UP ILLINOIS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF LOCAL PRODUCE SOLD IN THEIR STORES.THIS 3-YEAR GUSCRR PROJECT SEEKS TO SCALE AND EXPAND THE BRICK-AND-MORTAR PILOT PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN IN 2020 AND 2021. THE PROJECT AIMS TO SCALE LINK MATCH AT THE 2 CORNER STORES PILOTED IN 2020 AND 3 GROCERY STORES PILOTED UNDER OUR 2020 GUSNIP AWARD, WHILE CONTINUING TO PARTNER WITH MIRA TO EXPAND LINK MATCH TO 4 ADDITIONAL INDEPENDENT GROCERY STORES IN CHICAGO AND 3 GROCERY STORES SERVING COMMUNITIES OF NEED IN OTHER ILLINOIS CITIES. IN TOTAL, THE GUSCRR PROJECT WILL PROVIDE LINK MATCH INCENTIVE FUNDING TO 12 GROCERY LOCATIONS. LINK UP ILLINOIS WILL WORK WITH MIRA AND STORE OWNERS AND MANAGERS TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM MODEL THAT ACHIEVES SUSTAINABILITY, LEADING TO GREATER DEPENDABILITY FOR SNAP CLIENTS AND GREATER LONG-TERM IMPACT. THE PILOTS CARRIED OUT UNDER THE 2020-2022 GUSNIP AWARD WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY MIRA--ALONG WITH BEST PRACTICES SHARED VIA THE NUTRITION INCENTIVE HUB BY FELLOW INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY--WILL PROVIDE A STRONG BASE OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE FOR SCALING AND EXPANDING LINK MATCH IN GROCERY STORE SETTINGS.

FDA LFFM- CONTINUATION OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL FOOD/FEED PROGRAMS AT THE CT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION

EXPANDING THE IMPACT OF FERN AT CT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIM*

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE EXPERIMENTAL STATION SEEKS TO INCREASE THE AFFORDABILITY OF LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR SNAP (ILLINOIS 'LINK') CLIENTS, BY PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR SNAP SHOPPERS AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE. LINK UP ILLINOIS, A PROGRAM OF EXPERIMENTAL STATION ESTABLISHED IN 2011, AIMS TO ENSURE THAT ALL ILLINOISANS HAVE AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, BY PROVIDING FUNDING, TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MARKETS AND OTHER ILLINOIS VENUES TO IMPLEMENT 'LINK MATCH' INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. IN 2022 ALONE, THE LINK UP ILLINOIS NETWORK INCLUDED 118 FARMERS MARKETS, BRICK-AND-MORTAR GROCERS, AND OTHER DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER SITES STATEWIDE AND ENABLED THOUSANDS OF SNAP SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE OVER $1M OF FRESH AND LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WITH LINK MATCH INCENTIVES. IN 2024 AND 2025, LINK UP ILLINOIS WILL EXPAND LINK MATCH TO AS MANY AS 145 SITES ACROSS THE STATE. TO DO SO, LINK UP ILLINOIS WILL PARTNER WITH TWO REGIONAL AND AT LEAST 6 SMALL TO MID-SIZE COMMUNITY GROCERS, LINKING SNAP CLIENTS YEAR-ROUND WITH AFFORDABLE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, AND ENABLING TESTING OF NEW INCENTIVE TECHNOLOGIES. IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING CURRENT LINK MATCH PARTNERS, TO DEEPEN ITS REACH IN RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE, LINK UP ILLINOIS WILL SUPPORT FOUR REGIONAL LINK UP HUBS TO PROVIDE EBT AND LINK MATCH ASSISTANCE TO 25 LOW-CAPACITY MARKETS IN THEIR REGIONS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CBS BROADCASTING, LINK UP ILLINOIS WILL ALSO UNDERTAKE A ROBUST, TARGETED STATEWIDE TELEVISION AND STREAMING ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN. AS A RESULT, MORE ILLINOIS' SNAP CLIENTS WILL INCREASE THEIR CONSUMPTION OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, LEADING TO HEALTH BENEFITS, WHILE REGIONAL FARMERS WILL SEE INCREASED ECONOMIC BENEFIT.

EXPANSION OF FERN ACTIVITIES AT THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION (CAES)

IMPLICATIONS OF SEQUENTIAL BLOODMEALS ON ARBOVIRUS TRANSMISSION BY MOSQUITOES

ACHIEVING A NATIONALLY INTEGRATED FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM: ISO/IEC 17025 ACCREDITATI

NANOPARTICLE CONTAMINATION OF AGRICULTURAL CROP SPECIES

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FIRE BLIGHT, CAUSED BY THE BACTERIUM ERWINIA AMYLOVORA, IS TOP ON THE LIST OF THE MOST CONCERNED DISEASES OF APPLE AND PEAR BY ORGANIC GROWERS. AMONG ALL ORGANIC APPROVED CONTROL MEASURES OF FIRE BLIGHT, BLOSSOM PROTECT, A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL WITH A YEAST-LIKE FUNGUS AUREOBASIDIUM PULLULANS AS THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT, IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND WIDELY USED MATERIAL. INTEGRATED DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS CENTERED AROUND BLOSSOM PROTECT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND WIDELY ADOPTED BY ORGANIC GROWERS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. HOWEVER, APPLYING BLOSSOM PROTECT UNDER HUMID CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE OF FRUIT RUSSETING, A DISORDER OF FRUIT SKIN THAT REDUCE THE VALUE OF FRESH MARKET CROPS, THEREFORE CANNOT BE ADOPTED BY GROWERS IN THE EAST.WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT THERE ARE OTHER YEASTS FROM APPLE AND PEAR FLOWERS THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY SUPPRESS FIRE BLIGHT SIMILAR TO A. PULLULANS IN BLOSSOM PROTECT, WITHOUT CAUSING SIGNIFICANT RUSSETING. PRIOR TO THIS RESEARCH, WE DETERMINED THAT A. PULLULANS IN BLOSSOM PROTECTINDUCES PLANT DEFENSE RESPONSE WHICH IS THE MECHANISM FOR ITS DISEASE SUPPRESSION. IN THIS PROJECT, WE AIM TO PERFORM AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH OF FLOWER/FRUIT COLONIZING YEASTS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO 1. INDUCE PLANT DEFENSE, 2. SUPPRESS FIRE BLIGHT, AND 3. CAUSE RUSSETING. ISOLATES WITH DESIRABLE FIRE BLIGHT SUPPRESSION EFFICACY WITH MINIMAL RUSSETING WILL BE SELECTED FOR A MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-LOCATION FIELD TRIAL. EXTENSION AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DISSEMINATING RESEARCH FINDINGS TO GROWERS, EDUCATING FRUIT CONSUMERS ABOUT THE CAUSE OF FRUIT RUSSETING AND OTHER SKIN DISORDERS, AND TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION ORGANIC GROWERS IN THE NORTHEAST THROUGH UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FIRE BLIGHT, CAUSED BY THE BACTERIUM ERWINIA AMYLOVORA, IS A DEVASTATING DISEASE OF APPLE AND PEAR. IT NOT ONLY REDUCES YIELD BUT ALSO KILLS TREES THEREFORE IS A MAJOR CONCERN TO APPLE AND PEAR GROWERS. BLOSSOM PROTECT, A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL COMPRISED OF THE YEAST AUREOBASIDIUM PULLULANS, IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE BIOCONTROL MATERIAL OF FIRE BLIGHT. ORGANICALLY APPROVED, INTEGRATED DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM CENTERED AROUND BLOSSOM PROTECT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND SUCCESSFULLY USED IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. HOWEVER, BLOSSOM PROTECT CAN CAUSE FRUIT RUSSETING, A DISORDER OF THE CUTICLE OF DEVELOPING FRUITLETS THAT COMPROMISES QUALITY, ESPECIALLY IN HUMID CLIMATES. CONSEQUENTLY, IN THE MORE HUMID EASTERN U.S., THE RISK OF FRUIT RUSSETING FROM BLOSSOM PROTECT HAS SLOWED DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE ORGANIC MANAGEMENT OF FIRE BLIGHT.THEREFORE, THIS RISK IS A CRITICAL BARRIER FOR ORGANIC TRANSITION WITHIN THE REGION, AND DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS THAT MAINTAIN FRUIT QUALITY BY MITIGATING RUSSETING RISK FROM BLOSSOM PROTECT IS AN IMPORTANT RESEARCH PRIORITY.IN THIS PROJECT, WE AIM TO TEST THREE RUSSETING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES: 1. THE PROTECTION AND CLEARING STRATEGY TO REMOVE A. PULLULANS AFTER PROTECTION IS FINISHED, 2. THE REMEDY STRATEGY TO IMPROVE FRUIT FINISH USING PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS / MICRONUTRIENTS, AND 3. THE ADJUST STRATEGY TO FINE TUNE THE TIMING / DOSAGE OF BLOSSOM PROTECT.ULTIMATELY, WE AIM TO DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED PROGRAM THAT MAXIMIZE BOTH THE FIRE BLIGHT SUPPRESSION AND RUSSETING MITIGATION. OUR EXTENSION ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DISSEMINATING KNOWLEDGE ON RUSSETING MITIGATION TO THE ORGANIC TREE FRUIT COMMUNITY AND PROMOTING ORGANIC PRACTICES IN EASTERN U.S.

AN INTEGRATED AND INDIVIDUAL TICK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM TO REDUCE RISK OF LYME DISEA

THE EXPERIMENTAL STATION SEEKS TO INCREASE THE AFFORDABILITY OF LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR SNAP (ILLINOIS 'LINK') CLIENTS, BY PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR SNAP SHOPPERS AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE. LINK UP ILLINOIS, A PROGRAM OF EXPERIMENTAL STATION ESTABLISHED IN 2011 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHOLESOME WAVE AND THE ILLINOIS FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION, AIMS TO ENSURE THAT ALL ILLINOISANS HAVE AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, BY PROVIDING FUNDING, TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MARKETS AND OTHER ILLINOIS VENUES TO IMPLEMENT 'LINK MATCH' INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. TO DATE, THE LINK UP ILLINOIS NETWORK INCLUDES MORE THAN 100 FARMERS MARKETS, FOOD COOPERATIVES AND DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER VENUES STATEWIDE AND HAS ENABLED THOUSANDS OF SNAP SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE OVER $1.9M OF LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WITH LINK MATCH INCENTIVES. IN 2021 AND 2022, LINK UP ILLINOIS WILL ENABLE APPROXIMATELY 125 ILLINOIS FARMERS MARKETS, FOOD CO-OPS, CSAS, GROCERY STORES, AND OTHER DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER VENUES TO OFFER LINK MATCH PROGRAMS. WHILE INTRODUCING NUTRITION INCENTIVES TO ADDITIONAL NON-CHICAGO MARKETS, LINK UP ILLINOIS WILL PARTNER WITH THE MIDWEST INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ASSOCIATION TO EXPAND LINK MATCH TO THREE CHICAGO GROCERY STORES, LINKING SNAP CLIENTS YEAR-ROUND WITH FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, AND WILL EXTEND LINK MATCH TO CSAS, TESTING OUT A NEW INCENTIVE MODEL. HAVING PILOTED A STATEWIDE UNIVERSAL LINK MATCH CURRENCY IN 2019, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CBS BROADCASTING, LINK UP ILLINOIS WILL UNDERTAKE A ROBUST STATEWIDE PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN, WITH TARGETED TELEVISION, EMAIL, MOBILE PHONE AND SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING. AS A RESULT, AN ESTIMATED 25,000 LOW-INCOME ILLINOISANS WILL BENEFIT FROM AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO THE REGION'S FRESHEST AND MOST NUTRITIOUS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES HATCH ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS ARE: (1) ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE TO A CHANGING CLIMATE: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1018780 SUPPORTED AQUATIC INVASIVE PLANT SURVEYS IN 15 LAKES AND PONDS AS WELL AS THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. COMPARING INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, WE REPORT THAT DEEP AND LONG DRAWDOWNS OF THE WATER LEVEL DURING WINTER PROVIDE GOOD SHORT-TERM CONTROL OF INVASIVE PLANTS. THIS FINDING WILL BE USED TO INFORM MANAGEMENT OF INVASIVE PLANTS IN CT WATERWAYS AS CLIMATE CHANGE PERMITS THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW PLANTS. , (2) ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 1021837 FOUND THAT TREATING MOSQUITO HABITATS WITH LARVICIDES EFFECTIVELY DECREASED THE ABUNDANCE OF WEST NILE VIRUS VECTOR LARVAE IN TWO CONNECTICUT TOWNS. HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT AFFECT THE OVERALL PREDICTED RISK LEVEL FOR WEST NILE VIRUS. THIS STUDY WILL HELP STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THEIR FUTURE DECISION MAKING ON MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAMS. (3) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SUPPLY: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 1025562 AIMS TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF ORNAMENTAL PESTICIDES ON HONEYBEES. BY CHEMICAL, GENETIC, AND MICROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF POLLEN COLLECTED FROM BEES THAT VISITED NURSERIES, THE STUDY FOUND THAT BEES WERE ONLY COLLECTING A SMALL PORTION OF THEIR POLLEN FROM THE NURSERIES, AND THAT ONLY A FEW OF THE NURSERY PESTICIDES COULD BE DETECTED IN THE BEE POLLEN. THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR NURSERY MANAGERS AND BEEKEEPERS IN CONNECTICUT, AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS TO KEEP THE FOOD SUPPLY SAFE. (4) SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES ACROSS URBAN-RURAL INTERFACES: HERE, CAES RESEARCHERS STUDIED IMPROVED METHODS FOR TREATMENT AND A NALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF AND WASTEWATER. FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 1018681 FOUND THAT A HARMLESS BIODEGRADABLE MOLECULE CALLED PICA (PICOLINIC ACID) IS A SAFER AND MORE EFFECTIVE REPLACEMENT FOR THE USE OF IRON SALTS IN TREATMENT OF WASTEWA TER. THE HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 1019062 HELPED DEVELOP NEW SOFTWARE AND METHODS FOR SCREENING OF PFAS, A WIDESPREAD CONTAMINANT IN AGRICULTURAL SOIL AND DRINKING WATER. THESE STUDIES WILL HELP DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY FOR BOTH AGRICULTURAL AND HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN URBAN-RURAL INTERFACES.

HATCH REGULAR - FY2019

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO CONDUCT AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS AT STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS IN THE 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND THE INSULAR AREAS. HATCH ACT ACTIVITIES ARE BROAD AND INCLUDE RESEARCH ON ALL ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE, INCLUDING SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION AND USE; PLANT AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION, PROTECTION, AND HEALTH; PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION, SAFETY, MARKETING, AND UTILIZATION OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS; FORESTRY, INCLUDING RANGE MANAGEMENT AND RANGE PRODUCTS; MULTIPLE USE OF FOREST RANGELANDS, AND URBAN FORESTRY; AQUACULTURE; HOME ECONOMICS; HUMAN NUTRITION; RURAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AS IT RELATES TO AGRICULTURE; SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE; AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY INASMUCH AS WORK CAN CONTRIBUTE TO AGRICULTURAL ADVANCEMENTS. RESEARCH MAY BE CONDUCTED ON ISSUES OF LOCAL, STATE, REGIONAL, OR NATIONAL CONCERN. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED - THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT (UCONN), COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, AND NATURAL RESOURCES (CAHNR), STORRS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION (SAES) CAPACITY GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS RESEARCH PROJECTS ON PROBLEMS OF LOCAL, STATE, REGIONAL OR NATIONAL CONCERN, WITH PRIORITIES THAT ALIGN WITH NIFA PRIORITIES, AND ADDRESS ONE OR MORE OF THE PRIORITIES OF 2022-2026 USDA STRATEGIC PLAN: STRATEGIC GOAL 1: COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE TO SUPPORT AMERICA'S WORKING LANDS, NATURAL RESOURCES AND COMMUNITIES; STRATEGIC GOAL 2: ENSURE AMERICA'S AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM IS EQUITABLE, RESILIENT, AND PROSPEROUS; STRATEGIC GOAL 3: FOSTER AN EQUITABLE AND COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE FOR ALL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS; STRATEGIC GOAL 4: PROVIDE ALL AMERICANS SAFE, NUTRITIOUS FOOD; STRATEGIC GOAL 5: EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES; STRATEGIC GOAL 6: ATTRACT, INSPIRE, AND RETAIN AN ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED WORKFORCE THAT'S PROUD TO REPRESENT USDA. IN ADDITION, THE SAES HATCH PROJECTS ADDRESS ONE OR MORE OF THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES OUTLINED IN THE CAHNR STRATEGIC VISION. THESE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES INCLUDE: 1) ENSURING A VIBRANT AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY AND FOOD SUPPLY; 2) ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, AND GLOBALLY; 3) ADVANCING ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE IN A CHANGING CLIMATE, AND 4) FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES ACROSS URBAN-RURAL INTERFACES. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OU TCOMES - HATCH PROJECTS CONSIST OF BASIC, APPLIED, AND DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH AND FACILITATE TRAINING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS. OUTCOMES FROM OUR PROJECTS INCLUDE PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS, RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS, AND MENTORING AND TRAINING OF MASTERS AND PHD STUDENTS IN ALL ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE, INCLUDING SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION AND USE; PLANT AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION, ANIMAL HEALTH, HUMAN NUTRITION AND HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES - THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF OUR PROJECTS INCLUDE LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL AUDIENCES INTERESTED IN USDA PRIORITIES AND STATE AND NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL NEEDS.

HATCH REGULAR - FY2020

HATCH REGULAR - FY2022

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES HATCH ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS ARE: (1) ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE TO A CHANGING CLIMATE: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1018780 SUPPORTED AQUATIC INVASIVE PLANT SURVEYS IN 15 LAKES AND PONDS AS WELL AS THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. NEW POPULATIONS OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER STRAIN OF HYDRILLA WERE FOUND IN FOUR OF THE WATERBODIES. HYDRILLA IS THE MOST SEVERE SUBMERSED INVASIVE AQUATIC PLANT PROBLEM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, AND THIS HAS NOW SPREAD TO CONNECTICUT. THIS SPREAD APPEARS TO BE A DIRECT FUNCTION OF A CHANGING CLIMATE. IN COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FIVE SITES ALONG THE CONNECTICUT RIVER WERE TREATED WITH AN EPA APPROVED HERBICIDE TO CONTROL HYDRILLA. THE EFFICACY APPEARS PROMISING BUT FURTHER EVALUATION IS NEEDED. SEPARATELY, THE HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 7005299 INVESTIGATED THE IMPACT OF SOOT (PARTICLES EMITTED DURING WILDFIRES) ON PLANT METABOLISM AND CHEMISTRY, NAMELY THE UPTAKE OF CONTAMINANTS LIKE POLYAROMATIC HYDROCARBONS HEAVY METALS AFTER EXPOSURE TO SOOT GENERATED FROM WILDFIRES. THESE STUDIES WILL HELP OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF SOOT DEPOSITS ON AGRICULTURAL CROPS AFTER WILDFIRE EVENTS, WHICH ARE INCREASING AS A FUNCTION OF CHANGING CLIMATE. (2) ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 1021837 FOUND THAT TREATING MOSQUITO HABITATS WITH LARVICIDES EFFECTIVELY DECREASED THE ABUNDANCE OF WEST NILE VIRUS VECTOR LARVAE IN TWO CONNECTICUT TOWNS BUT DID NOT AFFECT THE OVERALL PREDICTED RISK LEVEL FOR WEST NILE VIRUS. THIS STUDY WILL HELP STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THEIR FUTURE DECISION MAKING ON MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAMS. IN ANOTHER STUDY, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BACTERIAL LARVICIDE (LYSINIBACILLUS SPHAERICUS) WAS ACCESSED AND SHOWN TO ELIMINATE THE WEST NILE VECTOR (CULEX SPECIES) FROM TREATED SITES BUT HAD NO IMPACT ON CO-INHABITING AEDES MOSQUITO SPECIES, SUGGESTING THAT DIFFERENT LARVICIDES SHOULD BE USED IN HABITATS CONTAINING NON-CULEX SPECIES. (3) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SUPPLY: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 7005298 IS DETERMINING HOW RISING TEMPERATURES WILL AFFECT THE SEVERITY AND SPREAD OF DISEASE CAUSED BY ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES, 7004598 IS IDENTIFYING NOVEL BIOCONTROL MECHANISMS AGAINST POME FRUIT DISEASE, AND 7005078 IS DETERMINING WHICH BT RESISTANCE TRAITS MAY BE C OMPROMISING CORN PRODUCTION IN THE NORTHEAST. SEPARATELY, THE PRESENCE OF EMERGING CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS MICRO- AND NANOPLASTICS AND NATURALLY OCCURRING TOXINS LIKE MYCOTOXINS AT ELEVATED COMPROMISES FOOD SAFETY. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 7004046 IS TO EXAMINE THE RISK OF THESE CONTAMINANTS TO THE FOOD SUPPLY, ESPECIALLY THEIR UPTAKE AND TRANSLOCATION BY CROP SPECIES, AS WELL AS THEIR DYNAMICS AND FATE IN THE AGRIFOOD SYSTEM.

HATCH REGULAR - FY2021

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES HATCH ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS ID ENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS ARE: (1) RISK-INFORMED LAND MANAGEMENT: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7009109 IS SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND AND DEVELOP RESILIENT SOIL-SCAPES AND IS EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF SOIL MANAGEMENT AND LAND USE DECISIONS ON SOIL HEALTH, PRODUCTIVITY, AND OTHER ECOSYSTEM SERVICES. HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7004673 INVESTIGATING THE RESPONSE OF POLLINATOR SPECIES TO NATIVE PLANTS AS PART OF HABITAT RESTORATION EFFORTS AND IN RESPONSE TO ISOLATED AGRICULTURAL PLANTINGS. HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7006994 IS ESTABLISHING SOIL MICROCOSMS TO CONDUCT CONTROLLED WETTING EXPERIMENTS SO AS TO CHARACTERIZE THE MICROBIAL RESPONSE TO DROUGHT AND SOIL WET-UP AND THE ASSOCIATED IMPACTS ON SOIL CARBON FLUXES. IN ADDITION, QUANTITATIVE PCR PRIMERS ARE BEING DESIGNED TO TRACK THE TAXA AND FUNCTIONAL GENES THAT EXHIBIT SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIVENESS TO SOIL MOISTURE. (2) ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: HERE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7009576 IS INVESTIGATING THE ECOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY, GENETICS AND/OR GEOGRAPHIC AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF HISTORICAL, EXTANT, AND EMERGING DISEASE VECTORS AND THE PATHOGENS THEY TRANSMIT. UNDER CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, THESE STUDIES WILL ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO PREDICT CONDITIONS LEADING TO THE SPREAD OR EMERGENCE OF EXISTING AND NOVEL DISEASES OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE. IN ADDITION TO DEVELOPING SURVEILLANCE AND MONITORING OF DI SEASE VECTORS (MOSQUITOES, TICKS, ETC.) AND THEIR ASSOCIATED PATHOGENS, THIS PROJECT IS DEVELOPING INTERVENTIONS TO MANAGE VECTOR-BORNE PATHOGEN TRANSMISSION AND PESTICIDE RESISTANCE. (3) STRENGTHENING AGRICULTURE AND IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 7005298 IS DETERMINING HOW RISING TEMPERATURES WILL AFFECT THE SEVERITY AND SPREAD OF DISEASE CAUSED BY ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES, 7004431 IS IDENTIFYING PREDATOR IMPACTS ON THE EFFICACY OF BIOSTIMULANT BACTERIA AND EFFECTS ON PLANT HEALTH, AND 7009842 IS DETERMINING HOW PERVASIVE PLANT PARASITIC NEMATODE ACTIVITY IS ON CONNECTICUT FARMS AND IS EVALUATING POPULATIONS IN FIELDS WITH UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT CURRENT CULTURAL PRACTICES DO NOT APPEAR TO CORRECT. SEPARATELY, THE PRESENCE OF EMERGING CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS MICRO- AND NANOPLASTICS AND NATURALLY OCCURRING TOXINS LIKE MYCOTOXINS AT ELEVATED COMPROMISES FOOD SAFETY. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 7004046 IS TO EXAMINE THE RISK OF THESE CONTAMINANTS TO THE FOOD SUPPLY, ESPECIALLY THEIR UPTAKE AND TRANSLOCATION BY CROP SPECIES, AS WELL AS THEIR DYNAMICS AND FATE IN THE AGRIFOOD SYSTEM

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PLANT-COLONIZING BENEFICIAL BACTERIA HAVE LONG BEEN HARNESSED TO BOOST THE PRODUCTIVITY AND RESILIENCE OF CROPS, AND BACTERIAL CROP TREATMENTS REPRESENT A RAPIDLY GROWING INDUSTRY IN THE US. THE BENEFIT OF THESE BACTERIA CAN BE LIMITED BY UNPREDICTABLE SURVIVAL IN THE ENVIRONMENT, WHERE PREDATORS, INCLUDING SINGLE-CELLED MICROBES KNOWN AS PROTISTS, ARE A MAJOR CAUSE OF BACTERIAL DEATH. SOME PLANT BENEFICIAL BACTERIA CAN DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST PROTIST ATTACK, AND PROTISTS MAY HELP THESE GROUPS OF BACTERIA THRIVE AND BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE IN PROMOTING PLANT GROWTH. HOWEVER, NOT MUCH IS KNOWN ABOUT WHICH TYPES OF BACTERIA BENEFIT MOST FROM THE PRESENCE OF PROTISTS ON THE PLANT, OR THE STRATEGIES THEY USE TO SURVIVE. IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL USE DNA SEQUENCING TECHNIQUES TO IDENTIFY WHICH BACTERIA FROM PLANTS AND SOILS ARE ENRICHED BY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROTISTS, AND TO UNDERSTAND WHICH BACTERIAL GENES AND FUNCTIONS ARE USED IN COOPERATING WITH OR DEFENDING AGAINST PROTISTS. WE WILL ALSO STUDY WHETHER BACTERIA AND PROTISTS HELP EACH OTHER COLONIZE PLANT ROOTS, AND HOW THEIR INTERACTIONS AFFECT PLANT GROWTH AND HEALTH. BY HELPING RESEARCHERS UNDERSTAND HOW PROTIST INTERACTIONS AFFECT THE SUCCESS OF BENEFICIAL BACTERIA, THIS RESEARCH COULD ONE DAY BE APPLIED TOWARD PROTIST-INFORMED SCREENING OR DESIGN OF IMPROVED MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES.?

FIELD TRIALS TO EVALUATE EFFICACY OF NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR THE CONTROL OF TICK VEC

HATCH ACT - REGULAR

HATCH REGULAR - FY2018

HATCH ACT - REGULAR (2017-31100-07609)

HATCH ACT GRANT - FY2012

MICROBES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE HUGE BENEFITS FOR CROP GROWTH, NUTRITION, AND DISEASE RESISTANCE. IN RECENT YEARS, SCIENTISTS HAVE ISOLATED SCORES OF BACTERIA AND FUNGI THAT MAY BE BENEFICIAL FOR AGRICULTURE, AND THE GLOBAL MARKET FOR PRODUCTS BASED ON THESE ORGANISMS IS OVER $2 BILLION. HOWEVER, ANOTHER GROUP OF ORGANISMS THAT ARE ABUNDANT IN AGRICULTURAL SOILS, MADE UP OF THE SINGLE-CELLED EUKARYOTES KNOWN AS PROTISTS, HAS BEEN LARGELY OVERLOOKED IN THESE EFFORTS. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT TREATING A PLANT WITH CERTAIN PROTISTS CAN QUADRUPLE ITS ACCESS TO NITROGEN, REMODEL ITS ROOT ARCHITECTURE, AND GREATLY ENHANCE ITS GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY. BY FEEDING ON CERTAIN GROUPS OF BACTERIA, PROTISTS CAN ALSO INCREASE THE ACTIVITY AND SURVIVAL OF OTHER BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS. HOWEVER, EXTREMELY LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT WHICH PROTISTS ARE PRESENT OR ENRICHED IN ROOT SOILS, WHAT THEY ARE DOING, OR HOW MUCH PLANTS AFFECT THEM.IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL SEQUENCE DNA FROM THE SOIL ATTACHED TO CORN ROOTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW MANY TYPES PROTISTS ARE PRESENT, WHICH ONES ARE ABUNDANT, AND WHETHER THE PLANT CHANGES THE COMPOSITION OF THE PROTIST COMMUNITY. WE WILL ALSO ISOLATE A COLLECTION OF PROTISTS FROM THE SAME ROOT SOIL AND STUDY THEIR FEEDING AND SURVIVAL CHARACTERISTICS, AS WELL AS HOW THEY AFFECT THE PLANT'S GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY AND INFLUENCE THE ROOT BACTERIAL COMMUNITY. THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF WHICH GROUPS OF PROTISTS MIGHT BE AFFECTING US CROP PRODUCTION AND BY WHAT MEANS, AND WILL ENABLE RESEARCH FOCUSED ONNEW STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING SOIL NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY, CROP PRODUCTION, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MICROBIAL PRODUCTS.

FLOWERS ARE IMPORTANT REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF PLANTS AND EXCELLENT HABITATS FOR MICROORGANISMS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE MICROBIAL DENSITY ON FLOWERS IS AT LEAST 100 TIMES HIGHER THAN THAT ON LEAVES. YET DUE TO THE SHORT LIFE SPAN, THE MICROBIOME ON FLOWERS AS WELL AS THE FUNCTIONS IT CONFERS ARE RELATIVELY UNDERSTUDIED COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE PLANTS, SUCH AS ROOTS AND LEAVES. COMPARED TO THE MICROBIOME ON VEGETATIVE ORGANS, THE MICOBIOME ON FLOWERS IS ASSEMBLED IN A MUCH MORE STOCHASTIC MANNER DUE TO THE SUDDEN EXPOSURE OF THE NUTRIENT RICH FLOWER PARTS TO THE ENVIRONMENT DURING BLOOM. IN OUR INITIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROBIOME ASSEMBLY ON APPLE FLOWERS, WE OBSERVED THAT DESPITE THE VARIATION IN EARLY STAGES, THE MICROBIOME ON FLOWERS EVENTUALY FALLS INTO ONE OF THE THREE SIGNATURE STATES AT LATER STAGES (~FOUR DAYS AFTER FLOWER OPENING): 1. PSEUDOMONADACEAE-DOMINATED, 2. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE-DOMINATED, AND 3. PSEUDOMONADACEA-ENTEROBACTERIACEAE MIXED. DESPITE THESE DIFFERENCES IN COMPOSITION, THE BIOLOGICAL CONCEQUENCES OF HAIVNG THE MICROBIOME IN ALTERNATIVE STATES ARE UNKONWN. AS INDIVIDUAL FLOWERS OF THE SAME GENETIC BACKGROUND DISPLAY PHENOTYPIC DIFFERENCES IN DISEASE SUCCEPTIBILITY, POLLINATOR ATTRACTIVENESS, AND FRUIT DEVELOPMENT, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT SOME OF THE THESE HOST DIFFERENCES MAY BE LINKED TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE MICROBIOME. IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL USE A COMBINED APPROACH OF METATRANSCRIPTOMICS, 16S RRNA GENE SEQUENCING, MICROBIOME MANIPULATION, AND PHENOTYPIC ASSAYS TO INVESTIGATE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE FLOWER MICROBIOME IN FRUIT DEVELOPMENT AND RESISTANCE TO PLANT DISEASE. FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY WILL PROVIDE KNOWLEDGE BASIS FOR HARNESING BENEFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE MICROBIOME TOWARDS IMPROVING PLANT PRODUCTIVITY, SUSTAINING PLANT HEALTH, WHILE REDUCING IMPACTS TO THE ENVIRONMENT

HATCH ACT

HATCH ACT - REGULAR

HATCH ACT - REGULAR

PROJECTSUMMARY:PLANT VIRUSESCAUSE US$30B LOSSES ANNUALLY WORLDWIDE.VIRICIDE FOR CONTROL OF VIRUSES IN CROPS IS NONEXISTENT AND THEREFORE, WE RELY HEAVILY ON THE USE OF VIRAL-RESISTANT PLANT VARIETIES AND PROPHYLACTIC METHODS.HOWEVER, THE LACK OF NATURAL VIRAL-RESISTANT GENES IN PLANTS COUPLED WITH A CONSTANT EMERGENCE OF NEW VIRUS STRAINS, AND THE INEFFICIENCY OF INSECTICIDES TO CONTROL VECTOR-INSECTS OF VIRUSES, MAKE PLANT VIRUS DISEASE MANAGEMENT A CHALLENGING TASK.THUS, THERE IS AN INCREASING DEMAND FOR INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE WAYS OF CONTROLLING VIRUS EPIDEMICS IN AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS.VIRUS RESISTANCE HAS BEEN INDUCED IN PLANTS BY THE APPLICATION OF EXOGENOUS DOUBLE-STRANDED RNA (DSRNA), BUT ITS EFFECTIVENESS IS SHORT-LIVED (~ FIVE DAYS).DSRNA IS QUICKLY ASSIMILATED BY PLANT DEFENSE MECHANISMS AND IS ALSO DEGRADED BY ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. AS SAFE APPLICATIONS OF NANOMATERIALS DEVELOP, NANOTECHNOLOGY IS BECOMING A PROMISING RESOURCE TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE.WE PROPOSETO DEVELOP A NOVEL AND SUSTAINABLE NANOPARTICLE PLATFORM TO DELIVER AN EFFECTIVE AND PROLONGED SUPPLY OF DSRNAS IN PLANTS, WITH THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TO CONTROL PLANT VIRUSES.WE PROPOSE TO USE A STAPLE CROP AND ITS MOST DESTRUCTIVE VIRUS PATHOGEN (POTATO AND POTATO VIRUS Y) AS OUR RESEARCH SYSTEM.OUR TWO SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AND DELIVERABLES ARE:SHORT-TERM:SYNTHESIZE THREE DIFFERENT NANOPARTICLE PLATFORMS (CHITOSAN, SILICA, AND CARBON DOTS) AND TEST THEIR CAPACITY TO PROVIDE STABLE AND SUSTAINED DELIVERY OF DSRNA MOLECULES INTO POTATO PLANT TISSUE.LONG-TERM:DEVELOP ATUNABLE PLATFORM FOR DSRNA DELIVERY(NANOPARTICLE-DSRNA COMPLEX) THAT CANBE TRANSLATED TO A RANGE OF VIRAL-CROP SYSTEMS.

MOLECULAR BASIS OF ADAPTATION IN A CHEMOSENSORY SYSTEM - PROJECT SUMMARY THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ELUCIDATE AT THE MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR LEVELS HOW CHEMOSENSORY SYSTEMS FUNCTION AND EVOLVE SO AS TO GENERATE NEW BEHAVIORS THAT ARE ADAPTIVE TO NEW ENVIRONMENTS. IT FOCUSES ON ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT AND FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS IN BIOLOGY: HOW SENSORY SYSTEMS ADAPT TO ALLOW AN ORGANISM TO EXPLOIT A NEW ENVIRONMENT. DROSOPHILA SUZUKII PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO DECIPHER CHEMOSENSORY MECHANISMS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ITS UNIQUE OVIPOSITION BEHAVIOR. WHEREAS OTHER SPECIES OF DROSOPHILA LAY EGGS IN FERMENTING FRUIT OF NO VALUE, D. SUZUKII LAYS EGGS IN RIPE FRUIT, RUINING CROPS. THE OVIPOSITION PREFERENCES OF FLIES ARE BASED LARGELY ON TASTE. THIS PROPOSAL TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE MECHANISMS OF TASTE IN D. MELANOGASTER. WE AIM TO ELUCIDATE HOW THESE MECHANISMS HAVE CHANGED IN D. SUZUKII TO PRODUCE A PREFERENCE FOR RIPE, AS OPPOSED TO OVERRIPE, FRUITS. THE FIRST AIM WILL PROVIDE A RIGOROUS ANALYSIS OF THE EXPRESSION AND FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF CANDIDATE GENES IN THE OVIPOSITION SHIFT OF D. SUZUKII. THE EXPERIMENTAL PLAN IS DESIGNED TO TEST HYPOTHESES AS TO MOLECULAR MECHANISMS UNDERLYING THE OVIPOSITION SHIFT OF D. SUZUKII. THE SECOND AIM WILL PROVIDE A RIGOROUS ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF CANDIDATE GENES IN OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATE OVIPOSITION CUES. THE PROPOSED EXPERIMENTS ARE DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY KEY OVIPOSITION CUES, TO TEST THEM BEHAVIORALLY, AND TO EXAMINE THE ROLE OF CANDIDATE GENES IN THE OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE TO THEM. THE THIRD AIM TAKES ADVANTAGE OF A RECENT ADVANCE IN ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY THAT ALLOWS AN UNPRECEDENTED VIEW OF HOW A TASTE SYSTEM HAS EVOLVED AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL. IT WILL ELUCIDATE THE CELLULAR BASIS OF A MAJOR SHIFT IN OVIPOSITION BEHAVIOR THAT HAS IMMENSE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS. IT MAY DECIPHER THE MOLECULAR LOGIC OF TASTE CODING OF A COMPLEX NATURAL STIMULUS. ADVANCES IN UNDERSTANDING HOW THE CHEMOSENSORY SYSTEMS FUNCTION AND EVOLVE MAY LEAD TO NEW MEANS OF CONTROLLING AGRICULTURAL PESTS AND INSECT VECTORS OF HUMAN DISEASES, WHICH AFFLICT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR.

REDUCING RISK OF HUMAN AND DOMESTICATED ANIMAL INFECTION WITH WEST NILE AND OTHER EMERGING INFECTIOUS VIRUSES CARRIED BY MOSQUITOES

BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT OF HYDRILLA VERTICILLATA SUBSP. LITHUANICA

ALTHOUGH THERE IS A GROWING LITERATURE ON THE USE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD PRODUCTION, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS WORK HAS FOCUSED ON METAL-BASED NANOPARTICLES. ALTHOUGH SOME BENEFIT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED, METAL-BASED NANOPARTICLES CAN ACCUMULATE IN SOIL AND CONTAMINATE THE ENVIRONMENT. THEREFORE, THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED FOR SAFER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE NANOMATERIALS FOR AGRICULTURAL USE. WE HAVE PRELIMINARY DATA DEMONSTRATING THE POTENTIAL OF NANOSCALE SULFUR AS A MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL AMENDMENT TO PROMOTE FOOD PRODUCTION AND SAFETY. SINCE SULFUR IS A CRITICAL ELEMENT FOR PLANT GROWTH, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT NANOSCALE SULFUR APPLICATION WILL IMPROVE PLANT GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY, CONTROL DISEASE, AND PREVENT HEAVY METAL ACCUMULATION BY FOOD CROPS. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A SAFER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE SULFUR-BASED PLATFORM FOR PREVENTING TOXIC METALS ACCUMULATION IN FOOD CROPS AND AS NOVEL NANOSCALE PESTICIDE FOR FOOD PRODUCTION, BOTH IN FIELD AND URBAN AGRICULTURE SCENARIOS. THIS WORK WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ADVANCE THE FIELD OF NANO-ENABLED AGRICULTURE AND SERVE AS AN IMPORTANT PLATFORM TO COMBAT GLOBAL FOOD INSECURITY.

DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL DIETS FOR HWA PREDATORS

REDUCING RISK OF HUMAN AND DOMESTICATED ANIMAL INFECTION WITH WEST NILE AND OTHER EMERGING INFECTIOUS VIRUSES CARRIED BY MOSQUITOES

HATCH-FY 2011 FORMULA GRANT-REGULAR

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WASTEWATER REUSE FOR IRRIGATION REDUCES DEMAND FROM SURFACE AND GROUND WATER SOURCES. HOWEVER, THIS INNOVATIVE STRATEGY INVOLVES RISKS FROM THE HIGHER LEVELS OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN RECYCLED WASTEWATER (RWW) COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL WATER SOURCES. DURING STORM EVENTS, CONTAMINANT CONCENTRATIONS IN RWW FLUCTUATE BECAUSE SEWERS RECEIVE VARIABLE LOADS OF MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER. THIS PROJECT WILL CHARACTERIZE STORMWATER INFLUENCES ON CONTAMINANT LOADS IN RWW AND THE ASSOCIATED EFFECTS ON RWW IRRIGATED CROPS. IN OBJECTIVE 1, WE WILL ASSESS HOW RAIN EVENTS AFFECT THE ORGANIC CONTAMINANT, HEAVY METAL, AND NUTRIENT PROFILES OF RWW FROM TWO SITES WITH SIGNIFICANT INTENTIONAL AND UNINTENTIONAL WASTEWATER INFILTRATION. IN OBJECTIVE 2, WE WILL DETERMINE HOW RWW IRRIGATION WITH VARIABLE STORMWATER INFLUENCE AFFECTS ACCUMULATION OF CONTAMINANTS IN ZUCCHINI PLANTS AND PLANT HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE. OBJECTIVES 1 AND 2 WILL FEATURE BOTH TARGETED AND NOVEL NON-TARGETED ANALYSIS METHODS TO PROVIDE EXTREMELY BROAD COVERAGE OF ORGANIC CONTAMINANT DETECTION. IN OBJECTIVE 3, WE WILL DEVELOP NOVEL PREDICTIVE TOOLS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF USING RWW WITH VARYING LEVELS OF STORMWATER INFLUENCE FOR CROP IRRIGATION. OUR STRATEGIES INCLUDE CHEMICAL FINGERPRINTING AND CONTAMINANT PARTITIONING MODELS. THIS PROJECT WILL ENABLE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIABLE RWW QUALITY BENCHMARKS FOR ASSESSING NON-TRADITIONAL WATER USE FOR IRRIGATION. FURTHERMORE, RESULTS WILL BE USED TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO FARMERS AND WASTEWATER UTILITIES ON BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR IRRIGATION WITH WASTEWATER RECLAIMED DURING STORM EVENTS.

NATURAL ORGANIC MATTER (OM) IS THE DECAYED AND DECAYING REMAINS OF PLANT AND MICROBIAL BIOMASS. IT IS EVER-PRESENT IN SOIL AND WATER. DISSOLVED AND SOLID FORMS OF OM PLAY CRUCIAL ROLES IN THE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY OF THE EARTH AND THE FATE OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS AND AGRICHEMICALS IN SOIL. A KEY TO CHARACTERIZING THESE ROLES IS A MOLECULAR-LEVEL UNDERSTANDING OF THE FORCES GOVERNING THE BINDING OF OM MOLECULES WITH EACH OTHER, TO NATURAL PARTICLES INCLUDING SOIL PARTICLES, AND TO NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS. WE POSTULATE THAT STRONG AND SPECIAL MOLECULAR BONDS EXIST BETWEEN WEAKLY ACIDIC GROUPS ON OM MOLECULES AND WEAKLY ACIDIC GROUPS ON OTHER MOLECULES AND SURFACES.THESE BONDS AREKNOWN AS CHARGE-ASSISTED HYDROGEN BONDS, OR CAHB. SUCH BONDS HAVE BEEN KNOWN IN CHEMISTRY FOR SOME TIME BUT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOIL CHEMISTRY TO THIS POINT. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ARE TO TEST CERTAIN HYPOTHESES THAT CAHB CONTRIBUTES TO OM COHESIVE FORCES, ADHESIVE FORCES WITH PARTICLE SURFACES, AND BINDING OF CERTAIN TYPES OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS. THE TEST MATERIALS INCLUDE OM REFERENCE MATERIALS, OM-RICH SOILS, AND LAB-PREPARED WOODY CHARS, AND THE PROJECT WILL TARGET WEAK ACIDS PHOSPHATE, PYROPHOSPHATE, PHENOLIC ACID ROOT EXUDATES, THE ANTIBIOTIC SULFAMETHOXAZOLE, THE FUNGICIDE P-AMINOBENZONIC ACID, AND THE ANALGESIC PARACETAMOL. OBJECTIVE 1 WILL INVESTIGATE BINDING FORCES BETWEEN MOLECULES DISSOLVED IN WATER. OBJECTIVE 2 WILL INVESTIGATE BINDING OF DISSOLVED OM WITH CARBONACEOUS SURFACES OF PARTICLES. OBJECTIVE 3 WILL EXAMINE THE BINDING BETWEEN OM AND CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS BOTH DISSOLVED IN WATER. THIS HYPOTHESIS-DRIVEN PROJECT ADDRESSES GOALS OF THE SOIL HEALTH PRIORITY OF THE AFRI PROGRAM OF NIFA. THE POSTULATED CAHB POTENTIALLY IMPACTS OM AGGREGATION IN WATER, SOIL OM SOLUBILITY IN WATER, TRANSPORT OF OM THROUGH THE SOIL, THE STABILITY OF SOIL CARBON, PH BUFFERING IN SOIL, THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SOIL PARTICLES AND ROOT EXUDATE COMPOUNDS, ADSORPTION OF DISSOLVED OM ON PARTICLES, AND THE BINDING OF CONTAMINANTS AND NUTRIENTS TO SOLID AND DISSOLVED FORMS OF OM. THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED MAY LEAD TO STRATEGIES THAT REDUCE CROP UPTAKE OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS, THEREBY PROTECTING FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY.

LINK UP ILLINOIS DOUBLE VALUE SNAP NUTRITION INCENTIVES PROGRAM

BY 2050, THE GLOBAL POPULATION WILL EXCEED 9 BILLION, MAKING MAINTAINING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WE FACE AS A SPECIES. FOOD PRODUCTION WILL NEED TO INCREASE BY 70% BUT IMPORTANTLY, YEAR-OVER-YEAR-YIELD INCREASES FOR MANY CROPS HAVE BEEN DECLINING. ADDITIONALLY, THE LACK OF SUSTAINABILITY OF CURRENT AGRICULTURE WILL CONFOUND MAINTAINING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE LOW EFFICIENCY OF NUTRIENT DELIVERY (10-20%) IS A SIGNIFICANT CONSTRAINT, WASTING ENERGY AND WATER RESOURCES, AND CAUSING ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AS GROWERS "OVER-APPLY" TO ADEQUATELY FEED CROPS. CONSEQUENTLY, THERE HAS BEEN GREAT INTEREST IN NANO-ENABLED APPROACHES TO INCREASE BOTH THE EFFICIENCY AND TARGETING OF NUTRIENT DELIVERY IN AGRICULTURE. ONE MAJOR NUTRIENT OF CONCERN IS PHOSPHORUS. PHOSPHORUS USE WILL EXCEED 26,000 GG/YEAR BY 2050, ALTHOUGH DELIVERY EFFICIENCY IS TYPICALLY ONLY 10-15%. IN ADDITION TO BEING UNSUSTAINABLE, THE EXCESSIVE USE OF P IS A THREAT TO AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS AND HUMAN HEALTH. WE HAVE PRELIMINARY DATA DEMONSTRATING THAT A BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER-NANOPARTICLE COMPOSITE CONTAINING PHOSPHATE NANOPARTICLES PROMOTES PLANT GROWTH AS EFFECTIVELY AS TRADITIONAL FERTILIZERS WHILE REDUCING P RUN OFF BY 10-FOLD. BUILDING ON THIS, WE WILL DEVELOP A SUITE OF P-CONTAINING BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES ABLE TO DELIVER NUTRITIONALLY REQUIRED AMOUNTS OF P TO DIFFERENT CROPS IN A SPATIALLY AND TEMPORALLY PRECISE FASHION. MOREOVER, THIS P DELIVERY WILL BE ACHIEVED WITH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED INPUT AMOUNTS AND WITH DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS IN ENVIRONMENTALLY DAMAGING P RUN-OFF/LEACHATE. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE BIOPOLYMER-BASED NANOFERTILIZER PLATFORM FOR MACRONUTRIENT DELIVERY IN BOTH FIELD AND URBAN AGRICULTURE SCENARIOS.

NANOSCALE ELEMENTS SUPPRESS PLANT DISEASE, ENHANCE MACRONUTRIENT USE EFFICIENCY, AND INCREASE CROP YIELD

NANOSCALE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ENGINEERED NANOMATERIALS AND BLACK CARBON (BIOCHAR) IN SOIL

DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF FIRE BLIGHT FOR THE EASTERN UNITED STATES

FDA LFFM- CONTINUATION OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL FOOD/FEED PROGRAMS AT THE CT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION - PROJECT SUMMARY- OVERALL CT AES LFFM 2025 PROJECT SUMMARY- THIS PROPOSAL, ENTITLED “FDA LFFM- CONTINUATION OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL FOOD/FEED PROGRAMS AT THE CT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION” IS BEING SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO RFA-FD-25-007 LABORATORY FLEXIBLE FUNDING MODEL (LFFM). OUR PROPOSAL INCLUDES 5 DIFFERENT CHEMISTRY PROJECTS ENCOMPASSING FOOD DEFENSE, HUMAN FOOD PRODUCT TESTING, ANIMAL FOOD PRODUCT TESTING, CAPACITY/CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT, AND METHOD DEVELOPMENT/VALIDATION. THE LEVEL OF ANALYSIS IN THE HUMAN AND ANIMAL FOOD PRODUCT TESTING WILL ALSO MAKE AVAILABLE MAINTENANCE FUNDING ($225,000). EACH PROJECT IS DESCRIBED IN ITS OWN COMPONENT WITHIN ASSIST, AS WELL AS OVERALL COMPONENT. THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION (CT AES) HAS A 150-YEAR HISTORY OF FOOD SAFETY RESEARCH, INCLUDING 20 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THE FDA FOOD EMERGENCY RESPONSE NETWORK (FERN) CHEMISTRY COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROGRAM (CCAP), 8 YEARS OF FUNDING UNDER 4 DIFFERENT FDA ISO FOOD SAFETY CAPS, AND 5 YEARS OF FUNDING AS PART OF THE 2020-2025 FDA LFFM PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO BEING THE SOLE LABORATORY IN CT PROVIDING CHEMICAL TESTING FOR THE MFRPS PROGRAM, THE CT AES PARTICIPATES A BROADER SURVEILLANCE AND MONITORING PROGRAM TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF FOOD IN THE STATE. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE CURRENT LFFM PROPOSAL IS TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY FUNDING TO ENHANCE THE CAPACITY AND CAPABILITIES OF CT HUMAN AND ANIMAL FOOD TESTING LABORATORIES IN SUPPORT OF AN INTEGRATED FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM. SPECIFICALLY, CT AES WILL CONDUCT HUMAN AND ANIMAL FOOD PRODUCT SAMPLE TESTING IN THE AREA OF CHEMISTRY AND WILL ENGAGE IN THE DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT WOULD SUPPORT AND EXPAND THAT TESTING. THIS PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE FDA’S EFFORTS TO PREVENT FOODBORNE ILLNESSES AND MINIMIZE FOODBORNE EXPOSURES THROUGH BUILDING A NATIONALLY INTEGRATED LABORATORY SCIENCE SYSTEM. THE FUNDING WILL EQUIP CT WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT CAN BE EMPLOYED TO BUILD AND INCREASE SAMPLE THROUGHPUT CAPACITY WITHIN THEIR STATE THE CT AES HAS DEMONSTRATED THE EXPERTISE, CAPABILITY, AND ADAPTABILITY TO FULLY MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS RFA THROUGH OUR SUCCESSFUL PARTICIPATION IN A NUMBER OF FDA CAPS, INCLUDING SEVERAL SPECIFICALLY TARGETING FOOD AND FEED PRODUCT TESTING. RECEIPT OF THIS NEW AWARD FROM FDA WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF THE CT AES SPECIFICALLY, AND CT IN GENERAL, TO MEET THE PROGRAM GOALS LAID OUT IN THE RFA TO SUPPORT AN INTEGRATED FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM, AND TO MEET GOALS AS DESCRIBED BY THE PRESIDENT’S FOOD SAFETY WORKING GROUP, THE PARTNERSHIP FOR FOOD PROTECTION AND THE FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT. 1

LINK UP ILLINOIS LINK MATCH STATEWIDE NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM

MCINTIRE STENNIS - FY 2021

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

MCINTIRE STENNIS - FY2020

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES MCINTIRE-STENNIS ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS INCLUDE: (1) MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF FOREST RESOURCES: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1023296 AND 1012606 SUPPORTED A DISTRIBUTION SURVEY OF BEECH LEAF DISEASE IN CONNECTICUT IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH ITS EXTENT IN 2020 AND HAS SUPPORTED SUBSEQUENT ANNUAL SURVEYS TO CHART THE GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD OF THE DISEASE ACROSS THE STATE ALONG WITH CHANGES IN FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY WITHIN STANDS ACROSS A RANGE OF STAND AGES. MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1023296 IS CURRENTLY TO DEVELOPING GENETIC TOOLS ESSENTIAL TO IMPROVING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE CAUSAL AGENT (A NEMATODE, LITYLENCHUS CRENATAE MCCANNII) MOVES WITHIN SITES AND FROM ONE SITE TO ANOTHER. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1024391 EXPLORING THE USE OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS TO CONTROL HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID (HWA, ADELGES TSUGAE) ALONG WITH THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATIC FACTORS ON HWA. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS, INCLUDING THE INTRODUCED LADYBEETLE PREDATOR (SASAJISCYMNUS TSUGAE), ARE THE ONLY VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO MAINTAINING THIS INTEGRAL PART OF OUR FOREST ECOSYSTEMS. (2) INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7001298 IS INVESTIGATING ALTERNATIVE HOST-TARGETED STRATEGIES REDUCING TICK ABUNDANCES IN RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS IN THE URBAN-RURAL INTERFACE. AS LYME DISEASE (LD) CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST COMMONLY REPORTED VECTOR-BORNE ILLNESS IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS WORK WILL BE USED TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF LYME DISEASE CASES (3) URBAN FORESTRY: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1023745 IS DEVELOPING TOOLS FOR DETECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF STRESSED URBAN TREES AND IS DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE STRESS TOLERANCE IN URBAN TREES. CONNECTICUT'S URBAN AREAS HAVE THE HIGHEST TREE COVER IN THE UNITED STATES AND MAINTAINING A HEALTHY FOREST CANOPY COVER IN URBAN AREAS IS CRITICAL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, HABITABILITY OF URBAN AREAS, AND BIODIVERSITY. RESEARCH WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY URBAN RESIDENTS, BUT MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS AND ARBORISTS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING TREE HEALTH. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1018306 THAT HAS BEEN EXAMINING THE MANAGEMENT OF EMERALD ASH BORER (AGRILUS PLANIPENNIS) IN URBAN, HIGH VALUE ASH TREES. THE STUDY HAS BEEN TESTING EFFECTIVE, NON-TOXIC ALTERNATIVES TO SEVERAL HIGHLY EFFECTIVE INSECTICIDES THAT WILL PROTECT INDIVIDUAL TREES, YET ALL ARE TOXIC TO NATIVE INSECTS AND POTENTIALLY POLLINATORS IN ADDITION TO THE TARGET PEST.

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES MCINTIRE-STENNIS ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS INCLUDE: (1) MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF FOREST RESOURCES: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1023296 SUPPORTS CONTINUED SURVEILLANCE OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND SEVERITY OF BEACH LEAF DISEASE IN CONNECTICUT, AS WELL AS GENETIC ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PATHOGEN IS MOVING AMONG SITES. . ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS MCINTIRE- STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1024391 EXPLORING THE USE OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS TO CONTROL HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID (HWA, ADELGES TSUGAE), ALONG WITH INVESTIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATIC FACTORS ON HWA. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS, INCLUDING THE INTRODUCED LADYBEETLE PREDATOR (SASAJISCYMNUS TSUGAE), ARE THE ONLY VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO MAINTAINING THIS INTEGRAL PART OF OUR FOREST ECOSYSTEMS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1018306 THAT HAS BEEN EXAMINING THE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF EMERALD ASH BORER (AGRILUS PLANIPENNIS) IN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS. WHILE DATA IS SOMEWHAT PRELIMINARY, THE ESTABLISHMENT, SPREAD AND PERSISTENCE OF THE TWO LARVAL EAB PARASITOIDS HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED. FURTHERMORE, THE IMPACT OF THE PARASITOIDS ON THE PEST IS REDUCING THEIR RATE OF POPULATION GROWTH, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL ALLOW ASH TO RETURN TO OUR FORESTS. (2) INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7001298 IS INVESTIGATING ALTERNATIVE HOST-TARGETED STRATEGIES REDUCING TICK ABUNDANCES IN RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS IN THE URBAN-RURAL INTERFACE. AS LYME DISEASE (LD) CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST COMMONLY REPORTED VECTOR-BORNE ILLNESS IN THE UNITED STATES, BABESIA INFECTION IN TICKS AND MICE IS ON THE INCREASE AS WELL. A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF H ABITAT ASSOCIATIONS IN CONNECTICUT WILL BE USED TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH BY REDUCING THE NUMBER TICKS AND PRESUMABLY, THE NUMBER OF ASSOCIATED TICK-BORNE DISEASE CASES IN HUMANS AND DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. (3) URBAN FORESTRY: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1023745 IS DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE STRESS TOLERANCE IN URBAN TREES. CONNECTICUT'S URBAN AREAS HAVE THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF FOREST COVER IN THE UNITED STATES AND MAINTENANCE OF A HEALTHY CANOPY COVER IN URBAN AREAS IS CRITICAL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, HABITABILITY OF URBAN AREAS, REDUCTION AND ABATEMENT OF CARBON EMISSIONS, AND BIODIVERSITY. RESEARCH WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY URBAN RESIDENTS, BUT MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS AND ARBORISTS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING TREE HEALTH.

MCINTIRE-STENNIS - FY 2018

MCINTIRE STENNIS CAPACITY GRANT - FY2022

MCINTIRE STENNIS - FY2019

ADSORPTION OF IONIC AND IONOGENIC COMPOUNDS BY CARBONACEOUS SUBSTANCES: PKA SHIFTS AND NOVEL INTERACTIONS AT THE SURFACE

MCINTIRE STENNIS - FY2017

UNCOVERING THE BIOLOGICAL DRIVERS OF AEDES AEGYPTI VECTOR COMPETENCE - BRACKNEY & STEVEN ABSTRACT: AEDES AEGYPTI MOSQUITOES ARE THE PRIMARY VECTOR FOR NUMEROUS ARTHROPOD-BORNE (ARBO) VIRUSES INCLUDING DENGUE VIRUS (DENV; FLAVIVIRIDAE, FLAVIVIRUS), ZIKA VIRUS (ZIKV; FLAVIVIRIDAE, FLAVIVIRUS), CHIKUNGUNYA VIRUS (CHIKV; TOGAVIRIDAE, ALPHAVIRUS) AND YELLOW FEVER VIRUS (YFV; FLAVIVIRIDAE, FLAVIVIRUS). THESE ARBOVIRUSES PRESENT A CONTINUED THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH WORLDWIDE WITH THERAPEUTICS AND VACCINES REMAINING LIMITED. FURTHER, TRADITIONAL MOSQUITO CONTROL MEASURES HAVE FAILED TO REDUCE HUMAN DISEASE RISK AND THUS, NOVEL CONTROL STRATEGIES ARE URGENTLY NEEDED. GAINING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTORS MEDIATING AE. AEGYPTI COMPETENCY FOR THESE VIRUSES COULD LEAD TO NOVEL INTERVENTIONS TARGETING CRITICAL PROCESSES WITHIN THE SYSTEM. VECTOR COMPETENCE IS THE ABILITY OF AN ARTHROPOD VECTOR TO ACQUIRE A PATHOGEN, PERMIT REPLICATION, AND ULTIMATELY TRANSMIT THE PATHOGEN TO A NEW HOST. AEDES AEGYPTI COMPETENCY FOR DENV IS A QUANTITATIVE TRAIT INFLUENCED BY MANY BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS, YET THE RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION THAT EACH BIOTIC FACTOR HAS ON MEDIATING INFECTION IS UNKNOWN. IN THIS APPLICATION, WE ARE PROPOSING TO SYSTEMATICALLY TEST THE RELATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT HOST GENETICS, VIRAL GENOTYPE, AND MICROBIOME COMPOSITION HAVE ON VECTOR COMPETENCE VARIABILITY. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE UNDERSTANDING THE INFLUENCE THAT EACH OF THESE FACTORS HAS ON CONDITIONING INFECTION WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL INTERVENTIONS TARGETING CRITICAL PROCESSES WITHIN THE SYSTEM AND ALLOW FOR STANDARDIZATION ACROSS VECTOR COMPETENCE STUDIES.

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES MCINTIRE-STENNIS ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS INCLUDE: (1) MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF FOREST RESOURCES: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1023296 AND 1012606 SUPPORTED A DISTRIBUTION SURVEY OF BEECH LEAF DISEASE IN CONNECTICUT IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH ITS EXTENT IN 2020 AND HAS SUPPORTED SUBSEQUENT ANNUAL SURVEYS TO CHART THE GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD OF THE DISEASE ACROSS THE STATE ALONG WITH CHANGES IN FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY WITHIN STANDS ACROSS A RANGE OF STAND AGES. MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1023296 IS CURRENTLY TO DEVELOPING GENETIC TOOLS ESSENTIAL TO IMPROVING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE CAUSAL AGENT (A NEMATODE, LITYLENCHUS CRENATAE MCCANNII) MOVES WITHIN SITES AND FROM ONE SITE TO ANOTHER. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1024391 EXPLORING THE USE OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS TO CONTROL HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID (HWA, ADELGES TSUGAE) ALONG WITH THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATIC FACTORS ON HWA. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS, INCLUDING THE INTRODUCED LADYBEETLE PREDATOR (SASAJISCYMNUS TSUGAE), ARE THE ONLY VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO MAINTAINING THIS INTEGRAL PART OF OUR FOREST ECOSYSTEMS. (2) INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7001298 IS INVESTIGATING ALTERNATIVE HOST-TARGETED STRATEGIES REDUCING TICK ABUNDANCES IN RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS IN THE URBAN-RURAL INTERFACE. AS LYME DISEASE (LD) CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST COMMONLY REPORTED VECTOR-BORNE ILLNESS IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS WORK WILL BE USED TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF LYME DISEASE CASES (3) URBAN FORESTRY: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1023745 IS DEVELOPING TOOLS FOR DETECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF STRESSED URBAN TREES AND IS DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE STRESS TOLERANCE IN URBAN TREES. CONNECTICUT'S URBAN AREAS HAVE THE HIGHEST TREE COVER IN THE UNITED STATES AND MAINTAINING A HEALTHY FOREST CANOPY COVER IN URBAN AREAS IS CRITICAL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, HABITABILITY OF URBAN AREAS, AND BIODIVERSITY. RESEARCH WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY URBAN RESIDENTS, BUT MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS AND ARBORISTS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING TREE HEALTH. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS MCINTIRE-STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1018306 THAT HAS BEEN EXAMINING THE MANAGEMENT OF EMERALD ASH BORER (AGRILUS PLANIPENNIS) IN URBAN, HIGH VALUE ASH TREES. THE STUDY HAS BEEN TESTING EFFECTIVE, NON-TOXIC ALTERNATIVES TO SEVERAL HIGHLY EFFECTIVE INSECTICIDES THAT WILL PROTECT INDIVIDUAL TREES, YET ALL ARE TOXIC TO NATIVE INSECTS AND POTENTIALLY POLLINATORS IN ADDITION TO THE TARGET PEST.

LINK UP ILLINOIS DOUBLE VALUE SNAP NUTRITION INCENTIVES PROGRAM

FINDING THE ORIGIN OF LITYLENCHUS CRENATAE MCCANNII INVASIVE NEMATODE CAES

1. AWARD PURPOSE: BEECH LEAF DISEASE (BLD) IS A NEW AND DEVASTATING FOLIAR DISEASE OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN BEECH, FAGUS GRANDIFOLIA, THAT FIRST APPEARED IN SOUTHWEST CT IN 2019, AND IS NOW FOUND IN ALL EIGHT CT COUNTIES, AS IT CONTINUES TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE RANGE (MUCH OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA) OF THIS FOUNDATIONAL NATIVE DECIDUOUS TREE SPECIES. THE DISEASE, CAUSED BY AN INVASIVE FOLIAR NEMATODE, CAUSES MORTALITY WITHIN 3-5 YEARS, ALTERING THE COMPOSITION AND ECOLOGY OF EASTERN FORESTS. THE MAGNITUDE OF SEVERITY AND SPREAD OF BLD RIVALS TWO OF THE PAST CENTURY’S MAJOR FOREST DISEASES – CHESTNUT BLIGHT, AND BEECH BARK DISEASE -- THAT FOREVER AND FUNDAMENTALLY ALTERED EASTERN FORESTS OF NORTH AMERICA. AGAINST A BACKDROP OF CLIMATE CHANGE’S COMPOUNDING EFFECTS ON OUR FORESTS, WE MUST URGENTLY ADDRESS BLD. WE ARE REQUESTING FUNDING FOR SUPPORT FOR BOTH LABORATORY AND FIELD WORK, TO COMPLEMENT CAES’S FOREST PATHOLOGY AND ECOLOGY PROGRAM FOCUSED ON THIS DISEASE. THIS INFUSION OF TECHNICAL AND MATERIAL SUPPORT AND EQUIPMENT UPGRADES DURING THESE CRITICAL EARLY YEARS OF DATA GATHERING AND ANALYSIS WILL BE IMMEASURABLY IMPORTANT IN ELEVATING CAES AS A REGION-WIDE FOCUS OF BLD RESEARCH EFFORTS. 2. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: CONTINUED MONITORING OF CT’S 11 BLD LONG-TERM MONITORING PLOTS, PART OF A REGION-SCALED NETWORK OF OVER 100 SUCH PLOTS INSTALLED AND MONITORED COOPERATIVELY WITH THE USFS. IMPLEMENTATION OF A CITIZEN-SCIENTIST PROJECT WHOSE OBJECTIVE IS THE LONG-TERM PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF BEECH GENETIC DIVERSITY IN CONNECTICUT, THROUGH RECRUITMENT OF AND ENGAGEMENT WITH CT LAND TRUST “CITIZEN-SCIENTISTS,” WHEREBY EACH PARTICIPATING LAND TRUST ADOPTS, PROTECTS (WITH PHOSPHITE), AND MONITORS A SMALL NUMBER OF CANDIDATE BEECHES ON THEIR LAND TRUST PROPERTIES. ENHANCING UNDERSTANDING OF, AND INSIGHTS INTO, THE ORIGIN OF THE INVASIVE BLD NEMATODE, LITYLENCHUS CRENATAE MCCANNII. ENHANCING UNDERSTANDING OF, AND INSIGHTS INTO, THE PATHWAYS BY WHICH BLD, AND THE NEMATODE THAT CAUSES IT, SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. ENHANCING UNDERSTANDING OF, AND INSIGHTS INTO, THE PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIP OF THE NORTH AMERICAN BLD NEMATODE, L.CRENATAE MCCANNII, WITH THE JAPANESE SUBSPECIES CRENATAE, AND THE TYPE SPECIES OF THIS NEWLY NAMED GENUS, LITYLENCHUS COPROSMA. 3. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: 11 CT PLOTS WILL BE MONITORED, REMEASURED, AND RECORDED OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER OF 2024. THE DATA ARE THEN SHARED WITH THE USFS STATE <(>&<)> PRIVATE FORESTRY COORDINATOR. BLD NEMATODE ISOLATIONS, DNA EXTRACTIONS, SEQUENCING, AND MICROSATELLITE GENOTYPING TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE “LANDSCAPE-SCALE EFFORT TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE BEECH GENETIC DIVERSITY.” IMPLANTATION. COMPLETION ONSITE TRAININGS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF CANDIDATE PLOTS. IF POSSIBLE, SUPERVISE FIRST APPLICATION (OF TWO PER SEASON) OF PHOSPHITE. 4. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): GREEN INDUSTRY BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENT STAFF, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, MASTER GARDENERS, AND EDUCATORS. ALSO, THE CITIZENS OF CONNECTICUT AND VISITORS TO THE STATE WHO ENJOY OUTDOOR RECREATION AND AGROTOURISM. 5. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: N/A

NANOPARTICLE CONTAMINATION OF AGRICULTURAL CROP SPECIES

FUNGI ARE THE MOST ECONOMICALLY DEVASTATING CLASS OF PLANT PATHOGENS AND AFFECT A WIDE RANGE OF CROPS CRITICAL TO GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. RNA INTERFERENCE (RNAI) HAS EMERGED AS A PROMISING TECHNOLOGY TO COMBAT FUNGAL DISEASES, BUT SUBSTANTIAL KNOWLEDGE GAPS IN APPLICATION LIMIT ITS USAGE. THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS CRITICAL QUESTIONS SURROUNDING THE INTRASPECIES SUSCEPTIBILITY OF S. SCLEROTIORUM TO RNAI AND THE DURABILITY OF THIS TECHNOLOGY ACROSS MULTIPLE PATHOGEN GENERATIONS. TO ACHIEVE THIS, WE WILL USE A LARGE COLLECTION OF ISOLATES WITH ROBUST GENETIC, GEOGRAPHIC AND HOST RANGE DIVERSITY. THIS COLLECTION WILL BE USED TO CHALLENGE TRANSGENIC SOYBEANS TARGETING CRITICAL VIRULENCE GENES THROUGH HOST INDUCED GENE SILENCING (HIGS) AND BOTH THE UBIQUITY AND MECHANISTIC BASIS OF RNAI INSENSITIVITY IN THE COLLECTION WILL BE EVALUATED. SIMULTANEOUSLY, MULTIPLE ISOLATES WILL BE USED TO SEQUENTIALLY INFECT RESISTANT HIGS LINES AND SELECT FOR ISOLATES CAPABLE OF BREAKING RNAI-MEDIATED RESISTANCE, THUS GENERATING CRITICAL DATA ON THE RESILIENCE AND MOLECULAR WEAK POINTS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY. FINALLY, TO INVESTIGATE NOVEL USES OF RNAI, WE WILL VALIDATE THE USAGE OF TRNA-LIKE MOTIFS AS A POSSIBLE APPROACH TO INCREASE DSRNA SYSTEMIC ACTIVITY AND CONTROL FUNGAL DISEASES WITHOUT THE REGULATORY BURDEN OF TRADITIONAL GMOS. IN THE FUTURE THIS WORK WILL GUIDE THE INTEGRATION OF RNAI INTO CURRENT IPM PRACTICES AND LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHLY SYSTEMIC DSRNA TECHNOLOGY TO FACILITATE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE CONTROL OF FUNGAL DISEASES.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** NANOPARTICLES (NPS) OF NUTRIENTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED STRONG PROMISE IN PLANT GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY PROMOTION. HOWEVER, INEFFICIENT USE DUE TO RUN-OFF AND THE RISK OF THE NP RESIDUALS IN PLANT EDIBLE TISSUES RESTRICT THE BROADER APPLICATION OF NANO-ENABLED AGRICULTURE, BUT BOTH CAN BE MODULATED BY RATIONAL NP MODIFICATIONS THAT ALTER THEIR RETENTION ON THE LEAF SURFACE AND INTERIOR PENETRATION INTO THE PLANTS. THE PROPOSED WORK COMBINES NANOTECHNOLOGY, PLANT SCIENCES, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY TO UNDERSTAND THE UNDERLYING MECHANISMS OF NP-LEAF SURFACE INTERACTIONS (SURFACE RETENTION AND PENETRATION) AS A FUNCTION OF NP SURFACE MODIFICATION AND MORPHOLOGY. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT APPROPRIATE MODIFICATIONS ON NP SURFACES AND EXPLOITING NP MORPHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES WILL ENABLE ACHIEVING STABLE LEAF RETENTION AND CONTROLLED PENETRATION BROADLY APPLICABLE TO A SUITE OF NPS. THIS WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE DESIGN, SYNTHESIS, AND MODIFICATION OF VARIOUS AGRICULTURALLY RELEVANT NPS FOR SPECIFIC NUTRIENT DELIVERY GOALS.

BOXWOOD BLIGHT MITIGATION STRATEGIES

MCINTIRE STENNIS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: AIR-OXIDATION OF BIOMASS CHARS - STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR RETENTION AND REACTIONS OF CONTAMINANTS

ACHIEVING A NATIONALLY INTEGRATED FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM: MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING ISO/IEC 17025 ACCREDITATION AT THE CT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION

HATCH-FY 20011 FORMULA GRANT-REGULAR

MCINTIRE STENNIS GRANT - FY2012

THE ROLE OF AUTOPHAGY IN AEDES AEGYPTI VECTOR COMPETENCE FOR DENGUE VIRUS TYPE 2

MCINTIRE STENNIS - 2016

MCINTIRE STENNIS FORMULA FUNDING-FY2015

MCINTIRE STENNIS - FY2013

THIS PROGRAM ASSISTS STATES IN CONDUCTING FOREST HEALTH MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON NON-FEDERAL FOREST LANDS TO ACHIEVE HEALTHY SUSTAINABLE FORESTS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES STATES WITH FEDERAL FUNDS TO DETECT, MONITOR, AND EVALUATE FOREST HEALTH CONDITIONS ON STATE AND PRIVATE LANDS. THESE FEDERAL FUNDS ENABLE STATES TO COLLECT FOREST HEALTH DATA IN A STANDARDIZED MANNER SO THAT THIS DATA IS COMPATIBLE WITH DATA FROM OTHER STATES IN THE REGION. CONNECTICUTS FOREST HEALTH PROGRAM INCLUDES THREE MAIN OBJECTIVES THAT ARE ACCOMPLISHED ANNUALLY STATEWIDE. ANNUAL EVALUATION OF FOREST HEALTH AND DAMAGE CAUSING AGENTS THROUGH THE AERIAL DETECTION SURVEY, SUPPLEMENTAL GROUND SURVEYS, AND LONG-TERM MONITORING PLOTS. MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS IMPACTED BY DAMAGE CAUSING AGENTS TO PROMOTE FOREST HEALTH AND RESILIENCY. COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL INFORMATION ABOUT FOREST HEALTH ISSUES AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TO FOREST PRACTITIONERS AND THE PUBLIC.

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE SURVEILLANCE AND TESTING ACTIVITIES TO BETTER DIAGNOSE, DETECT, AND PREVENT THE SPREAD OF TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASE IN CONNECTICUT.

PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO DEVELOP INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT TOOLS THAT WILL MINIMIZE THE INCIDENCE, SEVERITY, AND SPREAD OF BOXWOOD BLIGHT DISEASE IN THE US

AQUATIC WEED MANAGEMENT

AQUATIC WEED MANAGEMENT

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ADVANCED SOLID-STATE NMR CHARACTERIZATION OF NON-COVALENT INTERACTIONS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN SOIL AND SEDIMENT ORGANIC MAT

TO SUPPORT ENHANCED MITIGATION CAPABILITIES THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERGRATED MANAGEMENT TOOLS THAT WILL MINIMIZE THE INCIDENCE, SERVERITY AND

FUNDING WILL SUPPORT THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURE EXPERIMENT STATION <(>&<)>#39;S WORK TO MONITOR TICK POPULATIONS AND TICK-BORNE PATHOGENS. TICK-BORNE DISEASES (TBDS) POSE A SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN.

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION PROJECTS ABSTRACT FORM THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES HATCH ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS ARE: (1) ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE TO A CHANGING CLIMATE: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1018780 SUPPORTED AQUATIC INVASIVE PLANT SURVEYS IN 15 LAKES AND PONDS AS WELL AS THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. COMPARING INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, WE REPORT THAT DEEP AND LONG DRAWDOWNS OF THE WATER LEVEL DURING WINTER PROVIDE GOOD SHORT-TERM CONTROL OF INVASIVE PLANTS. THIS FINDING WILL BE USED TO INFORM MANAGEMENT OF INVASIVE PLANTS IN CT WATERWAYS AS CLIMATE CHANGE PERMITS THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW PLANTS. , (2) ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 1021837 FOUND THAT TREATING MOSQUITO HABITATS WITH LARVICIDES EFFECTIVELY DECREASED THE ABUNDANCE OF WEST NILE VIRUS VECTOR LARVAE IN TWO CONNECTICUT TOWNS. HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT AFFECT THE OVERALL PREDICTED RISK LEVEL FOR WEST NILE VIRUS. THIS STUDY WILL HELP STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THEIR FUTURE DECISION MAKING ON MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAMS. (3) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SUPPLY: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 1025562 AIMS TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF ORNAMENTAL PESTICIDES ON HONEYBEES. BY CHEMICAL, GENETIC, AND MICROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF POLLEN COLLECTED FROM BEES THAT VISITED NURSERIES, THE STUDY FOUND THAT BEES WERE ONLY COLLECTING A SMALL PORTION OF THEIR POLLEN FROM THE NURSERIES, AND THAT ONLY A FEW OF THE NURSERY PESTICIDES COULD BE DETECTED IN THE BEE POLLEN. THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR NURSERY MANAGERS AND BE EKEEPERS IN CONNECTICUT, AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS TO KEEP THE FOOD SUPPLY SAFE. (4) SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES ACROSS URBAN-RURAL INTERFACES: HERE, CAES RESEARCHERS STUDIED IMPROVED METHODS FOR TREATMENT AND ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF AND WASTEWATER. FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 1018681 FOUND THAT A HARMLESS BIODEGRADABLE MOLECULE CALLED PICA (PICOLINIC ACID) IS A SAFER AND MORE EFFECTIVE REPLACEMENT FOR THE USE OF IRON SALTS IN TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER. THE HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 1019062 HELPED DEVELOP NEW SOFTWARE AND METHODS FOR SCREENING OF PFAS, A WIDESPREAD CONTAMINANT IN AGRICULTURAL SOIL AND DRINKING WATER. THESE STUDIES WILL HELP DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY FOR BOTH AGRICULTURAL AND HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN URBAN-RURAL INTERFACES.

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES HATCH ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS ARE: (1) ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE TO A CHANGING CLIMATE: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1018780 SUPPORTED AQUATIC INVASIVE PLANT SURVEYS IN 15 LAKES AND PONDS AS WELL AS THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. NEW POPULATIONS OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER STRAIN OF HYDRILLA WERE FOUND IN FOUR OF THE WATERBODIES. HYDRILLA IS THE MOST SEVERE SUBMERSED INVASIVE AQUATIC PLANT PROBLEM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, AND THIS HAS NOW SPREAD TO CONNECTICUT. THIS SPREAD APPEARS TO BE A DIRECT FUNCTION OF A CHANGING CLIMATE. IN COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FIVE SITES ALONG THE CONNECTICUT RIVER WERE TREATED WITH AN EPA APPROVED HERBICIDE TO CONTROL HYDRILLA. THE EFFICACY APPEARS PROMISING BUT FURTHER EVALUATION IS NEEDED. SEPARATELY, THE HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 7005299 INVESTIGATED THE IMPACT OF SOOT (PARTICLES EMITTED DURING WILDFIRES) ON PLANT METABOLISM AND CHEMISTRY, NAMELY THE UPTAKE OF CONTAMINANTS LIKE POLYAROMATIC HYDROCARBONS HEAVY METALS AFTER EXPOSURE TO SOOT GENERATED FROM WILDFIRES. THESE STUDIES WILL HELP OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF SOOT DEPOSITS ON AGRICULTURAL CROPS AFTER WILDFIRE EVENTS, WHICH ARE INCREASING AS A FUNCTION OF CHANGING CLIMATE. (2) ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 1021837 FOUND THAT TREATING MOSQUITO HABITATS WITH LARVICIDES EFFECTIVELY DECREASED THE ABUNDANCE OF WEST NILE VIRUS VECTOR LARVAE IN TWO CONNECTICUT TOWNS BUT DID NOT AFFECT THE OVERALL PREDICTED RISK LEVEL FOR WEST NILE VIRUS. THIS STUDY WILL HELP STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THEIR FUTURE DECISION MAKING ON MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAMS. IN ANOTHER STUDY, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BACTERIAL LARVICIDE (LYSINIBACILLUS SPHAERICUS) WAS ACCESSED AND SHOWN TO ELIMINATE THE WEST NILE VECTOR (CULEX SPECIES) FROM TREATED SITES BUT HAD NO IMPACT ON CO-INHABITING AEDES MOSQUITO SPECIES, SUGGESTING THAT DIFFERENT LARVICIDES SHOULD BE USED IN HABITATS CONTAINING NON-CULEX SPECIES. (3) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SUPPLY: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 7005298 IS DETERMINING HOW RISING TEMPERATURES WILL AFFECT THE SEVERITY AND SPREAD OF DISEASE CAUSED BY ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES, 7004598 IS IDENTIFYING NOVEL BIOCONTROL MECHANISMS AGAINST POME FRUIT DISEASE, AND 7005078 IS DETERMINING WHICH BT RESISTANCE TRAITS MAY BE C OMPROMISING CORN PRODUCTION IN THE NORTHEAST. SEPARATELY, THE PRESENCE OF EMERGING CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS MICRO- AND NANOPLASTICS AND NATURALLY OCCURRING TOXINS LIKE MYCOTOXINS AT ELEVATED COMPROMISES FOOD SAFETY. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 7004046 IS TO EXAMINE THE RISK OF THESE CONTAMINANTS TO THE FOOD SUPPLY, ESPECIALLY THEIR UPTAKE AND TRANSLOCATION BY CROP SPECIES, AS WELL AS THEIR DYNAMICS AND FATE IN THE AGRIFOOD SYSTEM.

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES HATCH ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS ARE: (1) ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE TO A CHANGING CLIMATE: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1018780 SUPPORTED AQUATIC INVASIVE PLANT SURVEYS IN 15 LAKES AND PONDS AS WELL AS THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. COMPARING INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, WE REPORT THAT DEEP AND LONG DRAWDOWNS OF THE WATER LEVEL DURING WINTER PROVIDE GOOD SHORT-TERM CONTROL OF INVASIVE PLANTS. THIS FINDING WILL BE USED TO INFORM MANAGEMENT OF INVASIVE PLANTS IN CT WATERWAYS AS CLIMATE CHANGE PERMITS THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW PLANTS. , (2) ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 1021837 FOUND THAT TREATING MOSQUITO HABITATS WITH LARVICIDES EFFECTIVELY DECREASED THE ABUNDANCE OF WEST NILE VIRUS VECTOR LARVAE IN TWO CONNECTICUT TOWNS. HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT AFFECT THE OVERALL PREDICTED RISK LEVEL FOR WEST NILE VIRUS. THIS STUDY WILL HELP STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THEIR FUTURE DECISION MAKING ON MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAMS. (3) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SUPPLY: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 1025562 AIMS TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF ORNAMENTAL PESTICIDES ON HONEYBEES. BY CHEMICAL, GENETIC, AND MICROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF POLLEN COLLECTED FROM BEES THAT VISITED NURSERIES, THE STUDY FOUND THAT BEES WERE ONLY COLLECTING A SMALL PORTION OF THEIR POLLEN FROM THE NURSERIES, AND THAT ONLY A FEW OF THE NURSERY PESTICIDES COULD BE DETECTED IN THE BEE POLLEN. THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR NURSERY MANAGERS AND BEEKEEPERS IN CONNECTICUT, AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS TO KEEP THE FOOD SUPPLY SAFE. (4) SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES ACROSS URBAN-RURAL INTERFACES: HERE, CAES RESEARCHERS STUDIED IMPROVED METHODS FOR TREATMENT AND A NALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF AND WASTEWATER. FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NUMBER 1018681 FOUND THAT A HARMLESS BIODEGRADABLE MOLECULE CALLED PICA (PICOLINIC ACID) IS A SAFER AND MORE EFFECTIVE REPLACEMENT FOR THE USE OF IRON SALTS IN TREATMENT OF WASTEWA TER. THE HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 1019062 HELPED DEVELOP NEW SOFTWARE AND METHODS FOR SCREENING OF PFAS, A WIDESPREAD CONTAMINANT IN AGRICULTURAL SOIL AND DRINKING WATER. THESE STUDIES WILL HELP DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY FOR BOTH AGRICULTURAL AND HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN URBAN-RURAL INTERFACES.

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES HATCH ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS ID ENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS ARE: (1) RISK-INFORMED LAND MANAGEMENT: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7009109 IS SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND AND DEVELOP RESILIENT SOIL-SCAPES AND IS EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF SOIL MANAGEMENT AND LAND USE DECISIONS ON SOIL HEALTH, PRODUCTIVITY, AND OTHER ECOSYSTEM SERVICES. HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7004673 INVESTIGATING THE RESPONSE OF POLLINATOR SPECIES TO NATIVE PLANTS AS PART OF HABITAT RESTORATION EFFORTS AND IN RESPONSE TO ISOLATED AGRICULTURAL PLANTINGS. HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7006994 IS ESTABLISHING SOIL MICROCOSMS TO CONDUCT CONTROLLED WETTING EXPERIMENTS SO AS TO CHARACTERIZE THE MICROBIAL RESPONSE TO DROUGHT AND SOIL WET-UP AND THE ASSOCIATED IMPACTS ON SOIL CARBON FLUXES. IN ADDITION, QUANTITATIVE PCR PRIMERS ARE BEING DESIGNED TO TRACK THE TAXA AND FUNCTIONAL GENES THAT EXHIBIT SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIVENESS TO SOIL MOISTURE. (2) ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: HERE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7009576 IS INVESTIGATING THE ECOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY, GENETICS AND/OR GEOGRAPHIC AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF HISTORICAL, EXTANT, AND EMERGING DISEASE VECTORS AND THE PATHOGENS THEY TRANSMIT. UNDER CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, THESE STUDIES WILL ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO PREDICT CONDITIONS LEADING TO THE SPREAD OR EMERGENCE OF EXISTING AND NOVEL DISEASES OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE. IN ADDITION TO DEVELOPING SURVEILLANCE AND MONITORING OF DI SEASE VECTORS (MOSQUITOES, TICKS, ETC.) AND THEIR ASSOCIATED PATHOGENS, THIS PROJECT IS DEVELOPING INTERVENTIONS TO MANAGE VECTOR-BORNE PATHOGEN TRANSMISSION AND PESTICIDE RESISTANCE. (3) STRENGTHENING AGRICULTURE AND IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY: FOR EXAMPLE, HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 7005298 IS DETERMINING HOW RISING TEMPERATURES WILL AFFECT THE SEVERITY AND SPREAD OF DISEASE CAUSED BY ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES, 7004431 IS IDENTIFYING PREDATOR IMPACTS ON THE EFFICACY OF BIOSTIMULANT BACTERIA AND EFFECTS ON PLANT HEALTH, AND 7009842 IS DETERMINING HOW PERVASIVE PLANT PARASITIC NEMATODE ACTIVITY IS ON CONNECTICUT FARMS AND IS EVALUATING POPULATIONS IN FIELDS WITH UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT CURRENT CULTURAL PRACTICES DO NOT APPEAR TO CORRECT. SEPARATELY, THE PRESENCE OF EMERGING CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS MICRO- AND NANOPLASTICS AND NATURALLY OCCURRING TOXINS LIKE MYCOTOXINS AT ELEVATED COMPROMISES FOOD SAFETY. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE HATCH PROJECT ACCESSION 7004046 IS TO EXAMINE THE RISK OF THESE CONTAMINANTS TO THE FOOD SUPPLY, ESPECIALLY THEIR UPTAKE AND TRANSLOCATION BY CROP SPECIES, AS WELL AS THEIR DYNAMICS AND FATE IN THE AGRIFOOD SYSTEM

HATCH MULTISTATE - FY2022

HATCH MULTI-STATE - FY2021

HATCH MULTISTATE - FY2019

HATCH MULTISTATE - FY2020

COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MANAGEMENT/MONITORING

HATCH MULTISTATE - FY2014

HATCH MULTISTATE - FY2018

HATCH MULTI-STATE FY2017

CONNECTICUT FOREST HEALTH PROJECT

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RECEIVES MCINTIRE STENNIS ACT CAPACITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS INCLUDE: (1) MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF FOREST RESOURCES: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7009136 SUPPORTS BOTH LABORATORY AND FIELD WORK, IS USING THE HIGHLY INFORMATIVE DNA FINGERPRINTING SYSTEM DEVELOPED AT THE CAES TO IDENTIFY PATHWAYS OF SPREAD OF THE BLD NEMATODE, LITYLENCHUS CRENATAE. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS MCINTIRE STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1024391 EXPLORING THE USE OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS TO CONTROL HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID (HWA, ADELGES TSUGAE), ALONG WITH INVESTIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATIC FACTORS ON HWA. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS, INCLUDING THE INTRODUCED LADYBEETLE PREDATOR (SASAJISCYMNUS TSUGAE), ARE THE ONLY VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO MAINTAINING THIS INTEGRAL PART OF OUR FOREST ECOSYSTEMS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS MCINTIRE STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 7006711 THAT HAS BEEN EXAMINING HOW THE COMPOSITION OF REGENERATING TREES AND UNDERSTORY PLANT COMMUNITIES CHANGE OVER TIME FOLLOWING ASH TREE DECLINE AND MORTALITY FROM EMERALD ASH BORER (EAB), INCLUDING SURVEYING UNDERSTORY PLANT COMPOSITION AND EXAMINING FACTORS INFLUENCING UNDERSTORY THAT COMMUNITY ACROSS THE EAB CHRONOSEQUENCE, AS WELL AS INVESTIGATING FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON UNDERSTORY DYNAMICS FOLLOWING EAB INVASION. (2) URBAN FORESTRY: FOR EXAMPLE, MCINTIRE STENNIS PROJECT ACCESSION NO. 1023745 IS DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE STRESS TOLERANCE IN URBAN TREES. CONNECTICUT'S URBAN AREAS HAVE THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF FOREST COVER IN THE UNITED STATES AND MAINTAINANCE OF A HEALTHY CANOPY COVER IN URBAN AREAS IS CRITICAL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, HABITABILITY OF URBAN AREAS, REDUCTION AND ABATEMENT OF CARBON EMISSIONS, AND BIODIVERSITY. RESEARCH WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY URBAN RESIDENTS, BUT MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS AND ARBORISTS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING TREE HEALTH

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

HATCH MULTISTATE GRANT FUNDS - FY2012

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

HATCH MULTISTATE - FY13

PEST DETECTION - CAPS SURVEY

SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA MANAGEMENT

MCINTIRE STENNIS FUNDS

EAGER: INTERNAL DECAY AND CARBON LOSS IN LIVING TREES

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

ELUCIDATING THE PROCESSES MEDIATING MOSQUITO BASEMENT MEMBRANE REPAIR AND THE IMPLICATIONS ON WITHIN-MOSQUITO VIRUS DYNAMICS - ABSTRACT/PROJECT SUMMARY: RECENT WORK HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT MOSQUITO FEEDING BIOLOGY, NAMELY MULTIPLE BLOOD FEEDING, CAN GREATLY IMPACT WITHIN-MOSQUITO VIRUS DISSEMINATION DYNAMICS AS WELL AS TIME TO TRANSMISSION. WHEN MOSQUITOES FEED, THEIR MIDGUT EXPANDS DRAMATICALLY, THE SURROUNDING MIDGUT BASEMENT MEMBRANE (BM) BECOMES DISORDERED, AND CONSTITUENT BM COLLAGEN IV TRIPLE HELICES BECOME UNFOLDED. IF MOSQUITOES FEED A SECOND TIME FOLLOWING AN INFECTIOUS BLOOD MEAL, THIS TRANSIENT DAMAGE IS CORRELATED WITH EARLIER VIRUS ESCAPE FROM THE MIDGUT AND A WEAKENING OF THE MIDGUT ESCAPE BARRIER. ALTHOUGH SOME STUDIES HAVE ADDRESSED BM DEVELOPMENT AND REPAIR IN DROSOPHILA, LITTLE IS KNOWN FROM ADULT MOSQUITOES. INITIAL RT-QPCR STUDIES SUGGEST THAT EXPRESSION OF THE TWO FORMS OF COLLAGEN IV, VIKING (VKG) AND COLLAGEN AT 25C (CG25C), INCREASE IN THE MIDGUT AS BM DAMAGE DECREASES. EXPRESSION OF SECRETED PROTEIN ACIDIC AND RICH IN CYSTEINE (SPARC), A GENE IMPORTANT FOR BM COLLAGEN IV INTEGRATION IN DROSOPHILA, WAS EVIDENT IN THE MOSQUITO CARCASS (CONTAINING THE FAT BODY). OTHER TISSUES AND GENES MAY ALSO BE IMPORTANT AS EARLIER STUDIES HAVE NOTED EXPRESSION OF IMPORTANT BM GENES DURING DEVELOPMENT IN THE INSECT FAT BODY, MIDGUTS, AND HEMOCYTES. IN THIS APPLICATION, THE SPATIOTEMPORAL EXPRESSION OF BM GENES AND PROTEINS FOLLOWING BLOOD FEEDING WILL BE INVESTIGATED AND KNOCKDOWN OF GENES OF INTEREST SUCH AS VKG, CG25C, AND SPARC WILL REVEAL WHICH GENES ARE CRITICAL FOR BM REPAIR. FURTHER, TRANSGENIC MOSQUITO LINES WILL BE CREATED WITH TISSUE-SPECIFIC INDUCIBLE EXPRESSION OF FLUORESCENTLY TAGGED GENES INVOLVED IN BM REPAIR TO IDENTIFY THE TISSUE OF ORIGIN FOR PROTEINS INCORPORATED INTO THE REPAIRING BM. FROM THIS, THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF THE DIFFERENT TISSUES THAT MAY BE INVOLVED IN BM REPAIR PROCESSES WILL BE DETERMINED. TRANSGENIC LINES WITH CONSTITUTIVE EXPRESSION OF VKG AND CG25C WILL BE CREATED TO DETERMINE IF OVEREXPRESSION OF COLLAGEN IV CAN AFFECT BM REPAIR AND THE TIMING OF VIRUS DISSEMINATION. THIS INVESTIGATION OF MOSQUITO MIDGUT BM REPAIR AND THE TISSUES INVOLVED WILL EXPAND OUR KNOWLEDGE OF MOSQUITO BIOLOGY, ALLOW FOR THE MANIPULATION OF THESE PROCESSES, AND PROVIDE NEW TARGETS FOR MOSQUITO OR PATHOGEN CONTROL MEASURES.

HATCH ACT - REGULAR

MCINTIRE-STENNIS RESEARCH

HATCH ACT - REGULAR

INTEGRATED TICK MANAGEMENT FOR SUPPRESSION OF BLACKLEGGED TICK POPULATIONS IN THE SUBURBAN LANDSCAPE

HATCH MULTISTATE

HATCH MULTISTATE

HATCH ACT - MULTISTATE RESEARCH FUND

ACHIEVING A NATIONALLY INTEGRATED FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM: MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING ISO/IEC 17025 ACCREDITATION AT THE CT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION (CAES)

1. COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MANAGEMENT; 2. COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MONITORING (OFF-PLOT)

BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW HIGH PRIORITY REGIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES PROJECTS RAPID FOREST ASSESSMENT TO MONITOR THE EFFECTS OF BEECH LEAF DISEASE

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM (PEST DETECTION)PROGRAM.

WOX GENE FUNCTION IN LATERAL ORGANS

COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MGMT, SPECIAL SURVEYS AND OFF PLOT

S&PF REDESIGN COMPETITIVE GRANT: "STORMWISE:" AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO FOREST STEWARDSHIP, PUBLIC OUTREACH AND STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION AT THE LA

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM (PEST DETECTION)PROGRAM.

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM (PEST DETECTION)PROGRAM.

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM (PEST DETECTION)PROGRAM.

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM (PEST DETECTION)PROGRAM.

AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CONNECTICUT COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM AND ENHANCE COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING AMONG TARGETED STAKEHOLDERS TO SUPPORT DETECTION AND RESPONSE EFFORTS FOR EXOTIC PESTS. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS WORK PLAN IS TO FURTHER THE HOMELAND SECURITY INITIATIVE BY PROTECTING OUR NATION’S AND CONNECTICUT’S FOOD PRODUCTION AND NATURAL RESOURCES FROM EXOTIC PESTS. THE PURPOSE OF THESE SURVEYS IS TO DETERMINE IF ANY OF THESE INVASIVE PESTS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT AND WHETHER CONNECTICUT IS FREE OF THESE EXOTIC PESTS. DEMONSTRATING AREA FREEDOM IS AN IMPORTANT PHYTOSANITARY MEASURE THAT WILL ALLOW THE UNITED STATES TO CONTINUE TO EXPORT AT-RISK STOCK FROM REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DETERMINED TO BE FREE FROM THESE PESTS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR WILL MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH COOPERATORS, GROWERS’ GROUPS, AND INDUSTRY AND LANDOWNER ASSOCIATIONS, FORWARDING RELEVANT PEST INFORMATION AND INVITATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN UPCOMING COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY /PLANT PROTECTION ACT SURVEYS. STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR WILL RESPOND TO PEST INQUIRIES FROM THE PUBLIC AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS, TRACKING HOW THEY HEARD OF THE PROGRAM, WHAT THEY CALLED ABOUT, METHOD OF THE REPORT, DATE OF REPORT, AND OUTCOME. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: STATE PLANT REGULATORY OFFICIAL AND/OR STATE SURVEY COORDINAT OR WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION TO MEDIA OUTLETS AS REQUESTED. STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR WILL OBTAIN OR CREATE FACT SHEETS ABOUT THE 2025 SURVEY PESTS TO GIVE TO COOPERATORS. STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) WILL MAIL SURVEY INFORMATION PACKETS AND PEST FACT SHEETS TO G ROWERS PARTICIPATING IN PEST SURVEYS. STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) WILL UPDATE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM AND PEST INFORMATION POSTERS FOR DISPLAY AT GROWER MEETINGS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) WILL PROVIDE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURE EXPERIMENT STATION (CAES) WEBMASTER WITH UPDATES TO THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURE EXPERIMENT STATION (CAES) COOPERATIVE A GRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY WEBSITE, INCLUDING PEST INFORMATION, FACT SHEETS, WORK PLANS, COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES AND REPORTS. STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) WILL WORK ON ENHANCING WEB PRESENCE OF COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY WEBSITE. STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) WILL PRODUCE AND/OR UPDATE RELEVANT FACT SHEETS FOR PESTS TARGETED IN THE 2025 COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY AND PLANT PROTECTION ACT SURVEYS. CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURE EXPERIMENT STATION (CAES) WILL PRODUCE PRESS RELEASES REGARDING ANY NEW STATE PEST DETECTIONS. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): GENERAL PUBLIC. AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: NONE. COST ANALYSIS: PERSONNEL $45,382 (STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR, REGULATORY OFFICIAL AND SEASONAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT; FRINGE BENEFITS $35,044; TRAVEL $4700 (TRAVEL TO MEETINGS AND VEHICLES); SUPPLIES $1422

QUALITY AND PROCESS CONTROL FOR PRODUCTION OF HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM (PEST DETECTION)PROGRAM.

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM (PEST DETECTION)PROGRAM.

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM (PEST DETECTION)PROGRAM.

COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MGMT, SPECIAL SURVEYS AND OFF PLOT

DEVELOP NOVEL ANTISENSE ANTIMICROBIALS FOR THE CONTROL OF FIRE BLIGHT

BUILDING THE FEDERAL NUTRITION BENEFIT CLIENT CUSTOMER BASE AT IL FARMERS MARKET

CONNECTICUTS FOREST HEALTH PROGRAM IS A COOPERATIVE OF 17 RESEARCH SCIENTISTS AND STAFF AT THECONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, EACH OF WHOM ARE INVOLVED IN VARYING CAPACITIESWITH INVASIVE SPECIES RESEARCH AND MONITORING WORK ON CONNECTICUTS FORESTED LANDS.

CT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION MCINTIRE STENNIS FY 2011 FORMULA GRANT

THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION CAES OFFICE OF AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES OAIS IS SEEKING FUNDS TO MAP THE SEASONAL ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF NORTHERN HYDRILLA HYDRILLA VERTICILLATA SSP. LITHUANICA AT CONNECTICUT RIVER BOAT RAMPS. NORTHERN HYDRILLA A NOVEL STRAIN TO NORTH AMERICA WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER AND HAS SINCE SPREAD TO SIX OTHER WATERBODIES THROUGHOUT CONNECTICUT AND MASSACHUSETTS. THESE RECENT FINDINGS NEAR PUBLIC BOAT RAMPS AT RELATIVELY LOW POPULATION DENSITIES SUGGEST RECENT ESTABLISHMENT. MANAGING NORTHERN HYDRILLA AT BOAT RAMPS IS CRUCIAL TO PREVENT FURTHER SPREAD ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE OVER 100 ACCESS POINTS WITHIN THE INFESTED RIVER SECTION. KEEPING BOAT RAMPS CLEAR OF HYDRILLA IS CRUCIAL FOR EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE FOR SEVERAL REASONS. BOAT RAMPS SERVE AS PRIMARY POINTS WHERE BOATS AND TRAILERS ENTER AND EXIT THE WATER MAKING THEM SIGNIFICANT VECTORS FOR THE SPREAD OF HYDRILLA. BY MONITORING POPULATION AT RAMPS THE RISK OF BOATS TRANSPORTING NORTHERN HYDRILLA TO UNINFESTED WATERS IS MINIMIZED. PRIORITIZING HIGHRISK RAMPS BASED ON BOAT TRAFFIC PROXIMITY TO INFESTATIONS AND WATER FLOW WILL OPTIMIZE RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND CONTROL EFFORTS. DURING THIS PROJECT CAES OAIS WILL MAP NORTHERN HYDRILLA POPULATIONS AT THREE BOAT RAMPS TO DETERMINE BIOMASS ABUNDANCE AND SEASONALITY. THE EFFICACY AND EFFICIENCY OF DRONE SURVEYS WILL ALSO BE STUDIED. CAES OAIS WILL USE BOTH A WINGTRA GEN II DRONE AND TRADITIONAL BOAT SURVEY TECHNIQUES TO COMPARE COST ACCURACY AND TIME REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN THE TWO METHODOLOGIES. DELIVERABLES INCLUDE SURVEY MAPS OF EACH BOAT RAMP GIS SHAPEFILES OF NORTHERN HYDRILLA POPULATIONS DRONE IMAGERY DRONE AND BOAT SURVEY EFFICACY ANALYSIS AND A SUMMARY REPORT OF FINDINGS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOME IS TO DETERMINE WHEN AND WHERE NORTHERN HYDRILLA IS MOST ABUNDANT NEAR BOAT RAMPS AND TO ASSESS THE EFFICACY OF DRONE SURVEILLANCE OF SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION. THE RESULTS CAN BE USED BY STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS STATE AGENCIES THE CONNECTICUT RIVER CONSERVANCY AND LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TO TARGET PREVENTION EFFORTS AT BOAT RAMPS WITH THE GREATEST ABUNDANCE OF NORTHERN HYDRILLA. IT IS LIKELY THAT NORTHERN HYDRILLA IS MOST ABUNDANT AT BOAT RAMPS IN OCTOBER AFTER PEAK GROWTH HAS SUBSIDED AND THE PLANTS START FRAGMENTING LEADING TO VIABLE FRAGMENTS AND TURIONS COALESCING AROUND DOCKS AND PILINGS. THIS PROACTIVE MONITORING APPROACH HELPS REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF HYDRILLA INFESTING OTHER WATERBODIES BEFORE IT CAN ESTABLISH AND SPREAD FURTHER PROTECTING THE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF THE WATERBODY AND PREVENTING BROADER INFESTATIONS.

FOREST ECOSYSTEM MONITORING COOPERATIVE

CONNECTICUT COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH PROGRAM

DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICAL DIETS FOR PREDATORS OF INVASIVE WEEDS MILE-A-MINUTE

AQUATIC WEED MANAGEMENT

COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING

HATCH MULTISTATE

HATCH MULTISTATE

COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MGMT, SUDDEN OAK DEATH SURVEY FH MONITORING OFF PLOT

FOREST HEALTH MONITORING & SURVEYS

1. COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MANAGEMENT; 2. SUDDEN OAK DEATH SURVEY; 3. COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MONITORING (OFF-PLOT)

COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MGMT SUDDEN OAK DEATH SURVEY COOPERATIVE FORES HELATH MONITORING

FY 17 CT CAPS

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES FOR THE FOREST PESTS PROGRAM.-FARM BILL / OUTREACH AND EDUCATION

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES FOR THE FOREST PESTS PROGRAM.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM

COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MANAGEMENT; 2. COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MONITORING (OFF-PLOT)

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FEDERAL FINANCIA ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT ACTIVITIES THAT WILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO THE RECIPIENT, APHIS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES FOR THE COOPE

1. COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MANAGEMENT 2. COOPERATIVE FOREST HEALTH MONITORING (OFF-PLOT)

PEST DETECTION - CAPS INFRASTRUCTURE

COMBINING A DISEASE AND WEATHER MONITORING NETWORK WITH MEASUREMENTS OF INOCULUM POTENTIAL FOR DISEASE FORCASTING IN VINEYARD IPM FOR S NE

MCINTIRE-STENNIS RESEARCH

AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THESE SURVEYS IS TO DETERMINE IF ANY OF THESE INVASIVE PESTS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT AND WHETHER CONNECTICUT IS FREE OF THESE EXOTIC PESTS. DEMONSTRATING AREA FREEDOM IS AN IMPORTANT PHYTOSANITARY MEASURE THAT WILL ALLOW THE UNITED STATES TO CONTINUE TO EXPORT AT-RISK STOCK FROM REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DETERMINED TO BE FREE FROM THESE PESTS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: CAES WILL PLACE TRAPS BAITED WITH APPROPRIATE LURES FOR HELICOVERPA ARMIGERA (OLD WORLD BOLLWORM), CYDALIMA PERSPECTALIS (BOX TREE MOTH), AND PLATYPUS QUERCIVORUS (OAK AMBROSIA BEETLE) AT TWENTY HIGH-RISK SITES IN CONNECTICUT. HIGH-RISK SITES INCLUDE NURSERIES (WHOLESALE, RETAIL, AND GROWING YARDS) THAT SELL, GROW, CUT, OR CONTAIN MAPLE, OAK, AND PRUNUS SPP. INCLUDING CHERRIES, PEACHES, PLUMS, AND NECTARINES. TRAPS WILL BE INSTALLED STARTING IN JUNE AND SERVICED BIWEEKLY ACCORDING TO THE CAPS APPROVED METHODS AND NATIONAL SURVEY GUIDELINES. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE CAPS STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) AND ASSISTANT WILL CONDUCT SURVEYS, SORT MOTH AND BEETLE TRAP SAMPLES, AND SEND THE SAMPLES CONTAINING SUSPECT MOTHS (240 POTENTIAL SAMPLES) TO THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE INSECT PEST PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT (IPPM) LAB FOR IDENTIFICATION AND SCREENING. SAMPLES CONTAINING SUSPECT BEETLES WILL BE SENT TO CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY IN PITTSBURGH, PA FOR IDENTIFICATION AND SCREENING (120 POTENTIAL SAMPLES). THE CAPS STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) AND ASSISTANT WILL CONDUCT VISUAL SURVEYS AND SEND SUSPECT SAMPLES TO THE PENNSYLVANIA OF AGRICULTURE INSECT PEST PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT (IPPM) LAB FOR IDENTIFICATION AND SCREENING (SIX VISITS, 120 POTENTIAL SAMPLES). INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): GENERAL PUBLIC AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: NONE.

1. AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE MONITORING AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF PLANT PESTS. RESULTS CAN BE USED FOR REGULATORY AND PEST MANAGEMENT PURPOSES. SURVEILLANCE WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR PESTS OF THE FOLLOWING COMMODITIES: TREE AND NURSERY PLANTS, PINE, AND OTHER FORESTRY PRODUCTS AFFECTED BY EXOTIC BARK BEETLES AND WOOD BORERS. 2. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: PEST SURVEYS WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE AT THIRTY-FIVE HIGH RISK SITES. SURVEYS WILL INCLUDE TRAPPING FOR 5 EXOTIC PESTS. 3. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: PRESENCE / ABSENCE DATA FOR EXOTIC PESTS OF COMMODITIES AND NATURAL RESOURCES IMPORTANT TO CO NNECTICUT AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. THIS DATA WILL HELP FACILITATE SAFE TRADE AND LEAD TO EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE TO EXOTIC PESTS THAT THREATEN OVERALL PLANT HEALTH. 4. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): CONNECTICUT NURSERIES AND BUSINESSES WHO PRODUCE NURSERY STOCK. THE WOOD PRODUCTS AND CHRISTMAS TREE GROWERS IN CONNECTICUT WILL ALSO BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS WORK COULD LEAD TO EARLY DETECTION OF EXOTIC PESTS THAT MAY DAMAGE FORESTS AND TIMBER SPECIES IN THE STATE. AND FINALLY, THE CITIZENS OF CONNECTICUT AND VISITORS TO THE STATE WHO ENJOY OUTDOOR RECREATION AND AGROTOURISM. 5. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: N/A

1. AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FUNDINGFOR THE MONITORING AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF PLANTPESTS. RESULTS CAN BE USED FOR REGULATORY AND PEST MANAGEMENT PURPOSES.SURVEILLANCE WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR PESTS OF THE FOLLOWING COMMODITIES:NURSERY <(>&<)> RETAIL PLANTS, OAK, AND OTHER FORESTRY PRODUCTS AFFECTEDBY EXOTIC BARK BEETLES AND WOOD BORERS.2. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: PEST SURVEYS WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUTTHE STATE AT TWENTY-FIVE HIGH RISK SITES. SURVEYS WILL INCLUDE TRAPPINGFOR 4 EXOTIC PESTS AND VISUAL SURVEYS FOR 3 EXOTIC PESTS.3. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: PRESENCE / ABSENCE DATA FOREXOTIC PESTS OF COMMODITIES AND NATURAL RESOURCES IMPORTANT TO CONNECTICUT AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. THIS DATA WILL HELP FACILITATE SAFE TRADE AND LEAD TO EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE TOEXOTIC PESTS THAT THREATEN OVERALL PLANT HEALTH.4. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): CONNECTICUT NURSERIES AND BUSINESSES WHOPRODUCE NURSERY STOCK. THE WOOD PRODUCTS AND CHRISTMAS TREE GROWERS INCONNECTICUT WILL ALSO BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS WORK COULD LEAD TO EARLYDETECTION OF EXOTIC PESTS THAT MAY DAMAGE FORESTS AND TIMBER SPECIES INTHE STATE. AND FINALLY, THE CITIZENS OF CONNECTICUT AND VISITORS TO THESTATE WHO ENJOY OUTDOOR RECREATION AND AGROTOURISM.5. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD:N/A

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FEDERAL FINANCIA ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT ACTIVITIES THAT WILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO THE RECIPIENT, APHIS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES FOR THE COOPE

MCINTIRE-STENNIS RESEARCH

EXPANDING FARMERS' MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND SALES IN CHICAGO: ENCOURAGING FEDERAL NUTRITION BENEFIT CLIENTS TO SHOP AT THE 61ST STREET FARMERS MARKE

COMBINING A DISEASE AND WEATHER MONITORING NETWORK WITH MEASUREMENTS OF INOCULUM POTENTIAL FOR DISEASE FORECASTING IN VINEYARD IPM FOR S NE

MCINTIRE STENNIS - 2016

MCINTIRE STENNIS FORMULA FUNDING-FY2015

MONITORING PROTOCOL FOR FOREST ECOSYSTEM HEALTH: CT HIGHLANDS

HATCH MULTISTATE

PEST DETECTION INITIATIVE - COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SUVEY (CAPS) COMBINED SURVEY FOR CONNECTICUT

MCINTIRE-STENNIS RESEARCH

DEGREE DAY MODELING AND CAPTIVE COLONY RESEARCH FOR CERCERUS FUMIPENNIS

STAND LEVEL MEASUREMENTS FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES FOR THE FOREST PESTS PROGRAM.-FARM BILL / OUTREACH AND EDUCATION

SCALE MANAGEMENT IN CHRISTMAS TREES

1. AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE ACTIVITIES OF A STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) TO PLAN, EXECUTE, AND OVERSEE PEST SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE ACTIVITIES IN CONNECTICUT. THE SSC WILL ALSO DELIVER EXOTIC PEST OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE. THIS WORK WILL SEEK TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF PLANT PESTS THAT CAN DAMAGE CONNECTICUT’S AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS AND NATURAL AREAS. SURVEILLANCE WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR PESTS OF THE FOLLOWING COMMODITIES: TREE AND NURSERY PLANTS, PINE, AND OTHER FORESTRY PRODUCTS AFFECTED BY EXOTIC BARK BEETLES AND WOOD BORERS. OUTREACH EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT PESTS SUCH AS SPOTTED LANTERNFLY AND ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE. 2. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: PEST SURVEYS WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE ACCORDING TO THE CT CAPS TREE AND NURSERY PEST SURVEY WORK PLAN. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS WILL BE CONDUCTED BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON. PAMPHLETS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS WILL BE PROVIDED TO STATE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, PRES ENTATIONS WILL BE MADE TO VARIOUS GROUPS, AND INFORMATION BOOTHS WILL BE STAFFED AT SEVERAL LARGE GATHERINGS. 3. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: PRESENCE / ABSENCE DATA FOR EXOTIC PESTS OF COMMODITIES AND NATURAL RESOURCES IMPORTANT TO CONNECTICUT AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. THIS DATA WILL HELP FACILITATE SAFE TRADE AND LEAD TO EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE TO EXOTIC PESTS THAT THREATEN OVERALL PLANT HEALTH. OUTREACH EFFORTS WILL RESULT IN MORE RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF EXOTIC PESTS WHICH CAN HELP PREVENT ACCIDENTAL SPREAD INTO UNINFESTED AREAS. 4. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): CONNECTICUT NURSERIES AND BUSINESSES WHO PRODUCE NURSERY STOCK. THE WOOD PRODUCTS AND CHRISTMAS TREE GROWERS IN CONNECTICUT WILL ALSO BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS WORK COULD LEAD TO EARLY DETECTION OF EXOTIC PESTS THAT MAY DAMAGE FORESTS AND TIMBER SPECIES IN THE STATE. AND FINALLY, THE CITIZENS OF CONNECTICUT AND VISITORS TO THE STATE WHO ENJOY OUTDOOR RECREATION AND AGRO-TOURISM. 5. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: N/A

MCINTIRE-STENNIS RESEARCH

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES FOR THE FOREST PESTS PROGRAM.-FARM BILL / OUTREACH AND EDUCATION

1. AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE MONITORING AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF PLANT PESTS. RESULTS CAN BE USED FOR REGULATORY AND PEST MANAGEMENT PURPOSES. SURVEILLANCE WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR EXOTIC FOREST PESTS. 2. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: PEST SURVEYS THROUGH TRAPPING WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE AT THIRTY-FIVE HIGH RISK SITES. SURVEYS WILL INCLUDE TRAPPING FOR 7 EXOTIC PESTS AT CHRISTMAS TREE FARMS AND NURSERIES. OUTREACH TO INDUSTRY AND STAKEHOLDERS WILL ALSO TBE CONDUCTED TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE THESE PESTS. 3. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: PRESENCE / ABSENCE DATA FOR EXOTIC PESTS OF COMMODITIES AND NATURAL RESOURCES IMPORTANT TO CO NNECTICUT AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. THIS DATA WILL HELP FACILITATE SAFE TRADE AND LEAD TO EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE TO EXOTIC PESTS THAT THREATEN OVERALL PLANT HEALTH. 4. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): CONNECTICUT NURSERIES AND BUSINESSES WHO PRODUCE NURSERY STOCK. THE WOOD PRODUCTS AND CHRISTMAS TREE GROWERS IN CONNECTICUT WILL ALSO BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS WORK COULD LEAD TO EARLY DETECTION OF EXOTIC PESTS THAT MAY DAMAGE FORESTS AND TIMBER SPECIES IN THE STATE. AND FINALLY, THE CITIZENS OF CONNECTICUT AND VISITORS TO THE STATE WHO ENJOY OUTDOOR RECREATION AND AGROTOURISM. 5. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: N/A

AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CONNECTICUT CAPS PROGRAM AND ENHANCE COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING AMONG TARGETED STAKEHOLDERS TO SUPPORT DETECTION AND RESPONSE EFFORTS FOR EXOTIC PESTS. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS WORK PLAN IS TO FURTHER THE HOMELAND SECURITY INITIATIVE BY PROTECTING OUR NATION’S AND CONNECTICUT’S FOOD PRODUCTION AND NATURAL RESOURCES FROM EXOTIC PESTS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: SSC WILL MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH COOPERATORS, GROWERS’ GROUPS, AND INDUSTRY AND LANDOWNER ASSOCIATIONS, FORWARDING RELEVANT PEST INFORMATION AND INVITATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN UPCOMING CAPS/PPA SURVEYS. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: SPRO AND/OR SSC WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION TO MEDIA OUTLETS AS REQUESTED.INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): GENERAL PUBLIC.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD:NONE.

CT FY 17 FOREST PEST OUTREACH AND EDUCAT

1. AWARD PURPOSE:THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RISK THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF EXOTIC PESTS POSESTO CONNECTICUT’S GRAPE CROP. EXOTIC PESTS SUCH AS THE BROWN MARMORATEDSTINK BUG AND SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA HAVE ALREADY BEEN DETECTED INCONNECTICUT. FURTHER MONITORING FOR EXOTIC PESTS OF REGULATORY CONCERNIS A VITAL COMPONENT OF MAINTAINING THE HEALTH OF CONNECTICUT’S CROPS.THIS PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO BE DONE IN SUMMER AND FALL OF 2022 AND BEFINALIZED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. FUNDING FOR THE GRAPE COMMODITY SURVEYWILL ALLOW THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT TO MONITOR ITS VINEYARDS FOR SIXEXOTIC PESTS AND FOUR DISEASES.2. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED:THE GRAPE COMMODITY SURVEY WILL CONSIST OF SEASONAL TRAP/LURE MONITORINGAT TWENTY HIGH-RISK SITES FOR PRIORITY INSECTS. HIGH-RISK SITES INCLUDECONNECTICUT VINEYARDS. ONE PAPER WING TRAP AND TWO LARGE PLASTIC DELTATRAPS FOLLOWING NATIONAL PROTOCOLS DEVELOPED BY APHIS FOR CHRISTMASBERRY WEBWORM, LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH, AND EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH WILLBE INSTALLED AT THESE HIGH-RISK SITES BEGINNING MAY THROUGH AUGUST. THETRAPS WILL BE SERVICED EVERY TWO WEEKS, AND LURES REPLACED AS NEEDEDACCORDING TO NATIONAL GRAPE COMMODITY SURVEY GUIDELINES. ADDITIONALLY,VISUAL SURVEYS FOR SPOTTED LANTERNFLY, CUCURBIT BEETLE, AND BLACK MAIZEBEETLE WILL BE CONDUCTED AT THE SAME TWENTY HIGH-RISK SITES FOLLOWINGNATIONAL PROTOCOLS. FINALLY, SURVEYS FOR FOUR PATHOGENS - AUSTRALIANGRAPEVINE YELLOWS, STOLBUR, FLAVESCENCE DORÉE, AND ROTBRENNER - WILL BECONDUCTED AT THE SAME TWENTY HIGH-RISK SITES. SYMPTOMATIC LEAF MATERIALAND DRIED UP FRUIT CLUSTERS WILL BE COLLECTED AND SENT TO THEPENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR TESTING.3. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES:TRAP SURVEY: CAES WILL CONDUCT SURVEYS FOR CHRISTMAS BERRY WEBWORM,LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH, AND EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH USING WING AND DELTATRAPS FOR EACH INSECT IN EACH OF 20 VINEYARD SITES FROM MAY TO AUGUST.TRAPS WILL BE CHECKED EVERY TWO WEEKS ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL SURVEYGUIDELINES. SUSPECT MOTH SAMPLES WILL BE MAILED TO OREGON DEPARTMENT OFAGRICULTURE FOR IDENTIFICATION.BEETLE VISUAL SURVEY: CAES WILL CONDUCT VISUAL SURVEYS FOR CUCURBIT ANDBLACK MAIZE BEETLES AT THE SAME 20 VINEYARDS. SUSPECT BEETLE SAMPLESWILL BE IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR.SPOTTED LANTERNFLY VISUAL SURVEY: WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE SAME 20VINEYARDS DURING THE TRAPPING SEASON.PATHOGEN VISUAL SURVEY: LEAF SAMPLES AND FRUIT CLUSTERS THAT APPEAR TOBE SYMPTOMATIC FOR AUSTRALIAN GRAPEVINE YELLOWS, STOLBUR, FLAVESCENCEDORÉE, AND ROTBRENNER WILL BE COLLECTED FROM THE SAME 20 VINEYARDS. THISPART OF THE SURVEY WILL TAKE PLACE FROM JULY TO AUGUST. SUSPECT SAMPLESWILL BE SENT TO THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR FURTHERDIAGNOSTICS.OUTREACH TO THE VINEYARD OWNERS AND WORKERS WILL OCCUR AS SURVEY SITESARE ARRANGED WITH THEM. BOTH OWNERS AND EMPLOYEES WILL BE EDUCATED ABOUTTHE TARGET PESTS TO MINIMIZE ANY POSSIBLE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THEIRBUSINESS.4. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES):STATE AGRICULTURE, STAKEHOLDERS, AND THE GRAPE INDUSTRY OF CT.5. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD:PA DEP OF AGRICULTURE - SAMPLE TESTING SERVICES (36 ESTIMATED TISSUESAMPLES @ $20 EACH) = $720.

AQUATIC WEED MANAGEMENT

PPA GOAL 5- FOREST PEST OUTREACH

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FEDERAL FINANCIA ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT ACTIVITIES THAT WILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO THE RECIPIENT, APHIS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES FOR THE PPA P

HATCH MULTISTATE

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FEDERAL FINANCIA ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT ACTIVITIES THAT WILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO THE RECIPIENT, APHIS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES FOR THE COOPE

1. AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FUNDINGFOR THE ACTIVITIES OF A STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) TO PLAN, EXECUTE,AND OVERSEE PEST SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE ACTIVITIES IN CONNECTICUT. THE SSC WILL ALSO DELIVER EXOTIC PEST OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO THECITIZENS OF THE STATE. THIS WORK WILL SEEK TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OFPLANT PESTS THAT CAN DAMAGE CONNECTICUT’S AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS ANDNATURAL AREAS. SURVEILLANCE WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR PESTS OF THE FOLLOWINGCOMMODITIES: NURSERY <(>&<)> RETAIL PLANTS, OAK, AND OTHER FORESTRYPRODUCTS AFFECTED BY EXOTIC BARK BEETLES AND WOOD BORERS. OUTREACHEFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT PESTS SUCH AS SPOTTEDLANTERNFLY AND ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE.2. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: PEST SURVEYS WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUTTHE STATE ACCORDING TO THE CT CAPS NURSERY AND RETAIL PLANT PEST SURVEYWORK PLAN. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS WILL BE CONDUCTED BOTHVIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON. PAMPHLETS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIALSWILLBE PROVIDED TO STATE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, PRESENTATIONS WILL BE MADETO VARIOUS GROUPS, AND INFORMATION BOOTHS WILL BE STAFFED AT SEVERALLARGE GATHERINGS.3. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: PRESENCE / ABSENCE DATA FOREXOTIC PESTS OF COMMODITIES AND NATURAL RESOURCES IMPORTANT TO CONNECTICUT AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. THIS DATA WILL HELP FACILITATE SAFE TRADE AND LEAD TO EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE TOEXOTIC PESTS THAT THREATEN OVERALL PLANT HEALTH. OUTREACH EFFORTS WILLRESULT IN MORE RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF EXOTIC PESTSWHICH CAN HELP PREVENT ACCIDENTAL SPREAD INTO UNINFESTED AREAS.4. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): CONNECTICUT NURSERIES AND BUSINESSES WHOPRODUCE NURSERY STOCK. THE WOOD PRODUCTS AND CHRISTMAS TREE GROWERS INCONNECTICUT WILL ALSO BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS WORK COULD LEAD TO EARLYDETECTION OF EXOTIC PESTS THAT MAY DAMAGE FORESTS AND TIMBER SPECIES INTHE STATE. AND FINALLY, THE CITIZENS OF CONNECTICUT AND VISITORS TO THESTATE WHO ENJOY OUTDOOR RECREATION AND AGRO-TOURISM.5. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD:N/A

PEST DETECTION INITIATIVE - COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PEST SUVEY (CAPS) INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CONNECTICUT

PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES FOR THE FOREST PESTS PROGRAM.-FARM BILL / OUTREACH AND EDUCATION

1. AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THESE SURVEYS IS TO DETERMINE IF CEROPLASTES JAPONICUS, CANDIDATUS PHYTOPLASMA MALI 16SRX-A, CANDIDATUS PHYTOPLASMA PRUNORUM SRX-F, CANDIDATUS PHYTOPLASMA ZIZIPHI 16SRV-B, ADOXOPHYES ORANA, LOBESIA BOTRANA, AND RHAGOLETIS CERASI HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO MONITOR AND ENSURE THAT CONNECTICUT IS FREE FROM EXOTIC PESTS. DEMONSTRATING AREA FREEDOM IS AN IMPORTANT PHYTOSANITARY MEASURE THAT ALLOWS THE UNITED STATES TO SAFELY EXPORT AT-RISK STOCK FROM REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DETERMINED TO BE FREE FROM THESE EXOTIC PESTS. 2. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: • SET UP TRAPS WITH THE APPROPRIATE BAIT/LURE IN ORDER TO SURVEY FOR EUROPEAN CHERRY FRUIT FLY, SUMMER FRUIT TORTRIX MOTH, AND EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH AT THIRTY-FIVE HIGH-RISK SITES IN CONNECTICUT. THE EUROPEAN CHERRY FRUIT FLY WILL BE TRAPPED USING A YELLOW, BAITED STICKY CARD. THE SUMMER FRUIT TORTRIX MOTH WILL BE TRAPPED USING A PAPER DELTA TRAP WITH AN ADOXOPHYES ORANA LURE. THE EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH WILL BE TRAPPED USING A PAPER DELTA TRAP AS WELL, BUT WITH A LOBESIA BOTRANA LURE. TRAP INSTALLATION WILL BEGIN IN JUNE AND ALL TRAPS WILL BE SERVICED BIWEEKLY, ACCORDING TO CAPS APPROVED METHODS AND NATIONAL SURVEY GUIDELINES. FOR THESE PESTS, THE SURVEY TRAPPING SEASON WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SEPTEMBER. • IN PLACE OF TRAPS, VISUAL SURVEYS WILL TAKE PLACE FOR JAPANESE WAX SCALE, APPLE PROLIFERATION, EUROPEAN STONE FRUIT YELLOWS, AND JUJUBE WITCHES’ BROOM. VISUAL SURVEYS FOR THESE FOUR PESTS WILL OCCUR ONE TIME AT EACH SITE FROM AUGUST-SEPTEMBER. • THE STATE SURVEY COORDINATOR (SSC) AND SEASONAL ASSISTANT WILL CONDUCT FRUIT FLY AND MOTH SURVEYS, SCREEN SAMPLES, AND SEND SUSPECT DIPTERA AND LEPIDOPTERA TO THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE INSECT PEST PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT LAB FOR IDENTIFICATION AND SCREENING. THE SSC AND SEASONAL ASSISTANT WILL ALSO CONDUCT THE NECESSARY VISUAL SURVEYS AND SEND SYMPTOMATIC PLANT MATERIAL TO THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR IDENTIFICATION AND SCREENING. 3. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: • DATA MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING WILL OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY SEASON INTO AN APPROVED APHIS DATABASE FROM JUNE-DECEMBER, AFTER TAXONOMIC EVALUATIONS AND RESULTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. • PEST RISK AND PATHWAY ANALYSIS WILL BE USED TO SELECT SURVEY SITES IN ORCHARDS AND OTHER HIGH-RISK AREAS CONTAINING PROMINENT TARGET PEST HOSTS FROM JANUARY-MAY. • SURVEYS WILL BE UNDERTAKEN WHEN PEST SYMPTOMS ARE EXPRESSED AND/OR ADULT STAGES ARE FLYING: EUROPEAN CHERRY FRUIT FLY, EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH, AND SUMMER FRUIT TORTRIX MOTH. YELLOW BAITED STICKY CARDS AND PAPER DELTA TRAPS WILL BE SERVICED EVERY TWO WEEKS AND LURES REPLACED AS PER SURVEY GUIDELINES. VISUAL SURVEYS WILL BE CONDUCTED ONCE PER SITE FROM AUGUST-SEPTEMBER. • SAMPLES WILL BE SENT TO APPROPRIATE IDENTIFIERS THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY SEASON FROM JUNE-SEPTEMBER AND COMPLETED AS NEEDED IN THE FALL. • COOPERATOR OUTREACH AND RISK COMMUNICATION WILL OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AT SURVEY LOCATIONS AND GROWER MEETINGS. • WORK PLANS, SURVEY RESULTS, AND PEST INFORMATION WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE CT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION (CAES) WEBMASTER ON AN ONGOING BASIS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. A SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED IN DECEMBER 2024, AND AN ANNUAL REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED IN AUGUST 2025. 4. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): STATE AGRICULTURE, STAKEHOLDERS, AND THE ORCHARD INDUSTRY OF CT. 5. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: PA DEP OF AGRICULTURE - SAMPLE TESTING SERVICES (5 ESTIMATED TISSUE SAMPLES @ $40 EACH) = $200.

HATCH MULTISTATE

TO CONDUCT SURVEYS FOR CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF DENSITIES OF ELONGATED HEMLOCK SCALE, DEVELOP LABORATORY METHODS TO MASS REAR SCALES CULTURES, EVALUA

HATCH MULTISTATE

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FEDERAL FINANCIA ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT ACTIVITIES THAT WILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO THE RECIPIENT, APHIS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES FOR THE SOLAN