
Genetic Map for Bt Resistance Is Top ARS
Postdoc AwardBy Tara
Weaver-Missick December 17, 1999WASHINGTON, Dec. 17--Agricultural Research Service entomologist
Douglas V. Sumerford has won an agency award for his research proposal to
develop a genetic map to help identify insects that are becoming resistant to
the natural insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Sumerford and his colleagues at the
Southern
Insect Management Research Unit in Stoneville, Miss., have been monitoring
insect populations in Bt-formulated crops that have been genetically modified
to include pest resistance, making them an alternative to synthetic
insecticides. Today, Bt crops are a major source of insect control. Over time,
however, some insects can develop resistance to Bt and other insecticides,
meaning more chemicals must be applied to achieve control. Sumerford won the T. W. Edminster Award for the top-ranked proposal out of
50 proposals selected by the Agricultural Research Service for its 2000
Postdoctoral Research Associate Program. The program provides postdocs an
opportunity to work closely with an experienced researcher in their field. At
the same time, postdocs get a chance to perform valuable research to help solve
an agricultural problems. The postdoctoral program helps us to allocate funds to critical
research areas, said ARS Administrator Floyd P. Horn. Its
tough picking a few, since all of the proposals are excellent and focus on
solving key problems. ARS has allocated $4 million to fund 50 projects selected from a list of 350
submissions. Each ARS scientist whose proposal was accepted will receive
$80,000 to hire a postdoc for two years of high-priority research. Aside from Sumerfords, other top proposals were from: - Theodore H. Elsasser with ARS
Growth Biology Laboratoryin Beltsville, Md., to determine the genetic basis for disease susceptibility
in food animals.
Contact: Edward B. Knipling, Associate Administrator, ARS,
Washington, D.C., phone (202) 720-3656, fax (202) 720-5427. U.S. Department of Agriculture | |