NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Agricultural Entomology

The Challenge

Since the passing of Dr. Lloyd Dosdall, there has been no professor teaching and researching agricultural entomology at the University of Alberta.

The Project

Find a suitable professor to continue the integrated research position at the university.

The Results

Dr. Boyd Mori was selected as the recipient of the NSERC Industrial Chair in Agricultural Entomology. In consultation with Industrial Partners, four research themes we identified that will define Dr. Boyd Mori’s Industrial Research Chair (IRC) program: (1) reconstruct invasion routes of insect pests on the Prairies in order to identify potential insect movement corridors; (2) assess predator-prey interactions across cropping systems and seasons; (3) identify host plant resistance for pest management with emphasis on canola resistance to cabbage seedpod weevil, and; (4) refine monitoring tools to aid in decision support with wheat midge as a case study. Although, some of these themes are crop and pest specific, the Industrial Partners realize management efforts in single crops can impact adjacent or subsequent crops. These tactics will be accessible by farmers to use against insect pests.

Grower Benefits

Canola farmers can be confident that Dr. Mori’s research has the potential to increase the sustainability and success of canola production in Alberta and western Canada whilst reducing the environmental footprint through increased adoption of integrated management strategies.