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Dr. Mark G. Wright

Entomologist, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Expert Bio

Dr. Mark G. Wright is an entomologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Mark obtained a B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. from Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and his Ph.D. in entomology from the University of Natal (1997). He worked on insects associated with indigenous crops and vegetables in South Africa (Department of Agricultural Development and Agricultural Research Council), prior to moving to Cornell University for a post-doctoral fellowship, where he worked on augmentative releases of Trichogramma for biological control of European corn borer. He then moved to the University of Hawaii to take up a position in the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences.

He concentrates on integrated pest management research and extension in tropical fruit and nut crops, with strong research interests in sustainable pest management, risk-assessment for non-target impacts in biological control and post-release evolution in biological control agents.

Mark has authored and co-authored numerous papers on insect-plant interactions, insect diversity, augmentative biological control, invasive insects, and integrated pest management. Mark is editor of the Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society, and is on the editorial board of Environmental Entomology. He has current research projects addressing key pests of coffee, papaya and macadamia nuts, agro-ecosystem diversification and pest suppression, and control of invasive pests attacking indigenous plant species in Hawaii.

Studies, Articles and Answers

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Question

Q: One of the greatest concerns for those of us living in areas where the GMO companies are doing research is the large amount of Restricted Use Pesticides and Herbicides that are being applied in open field testing. I'm curious as to why the amounts are so

Answered By Dr. Mark G. Wright - Nov 21, 2013

A: The need for insecticides on parent seed corn arises from the high value of the crop and a need to protect the yield, and in Hawaii, there is consistent pest pressure. Among the most significant insect pests here are thrips, which vector a virus that infects the corn, and corn earworm, the larvae of which attack and feed on the developing kernels. Both reduce yields; both need to be suppressed. The companies do apply pesticides for such insect pests. People have the impression that the sprays are applied continuously, but this impression is largely created by the fact that the spray [...]

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