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Workshop and Seminar Information
The second section describes Insect Pathology Services available to determine disease problems in livestock and diet. A sample submission form is included. Insect Rearing at Mississippi State University
Insect Rearing at Mississippi State University Rearing History: The history of rearing insects for research purposes at Mississippi State University has been one of 40 years of cooperative efforts among University and USDA entomologists. Rearing of insects on artificial diets began in what was then the Department of Entomology and local USDA research facilities during the 1960s. Dr. Jim Brazzel, former department head, initiated the first insect rearing laboratory for the Department of Entomology, which was known as the "Worm Shed". Cotton bollworms and tobacco budworms were the insects of choice. Rearing of the infamous cotton boll weevil on artificial diets was initiated in the early 60s under the direction of Dr. R.T. Gast in the newly constructed USDA/ARS building known as the Boll Weevil Research Laboratory adjacent to the Clay Lyle Entomology Building. He pioneered a highly successful rearing program for the boll weevil. In the late 60s he died as a result of a tragic accident, which occurred in his rearing laboratory. In 1971 insect rearing went big time on campus with the construction of the R.T. Gast Rearing Facility. The funds for this building designed for large scale mass rearing of the boll weevil (10+ million adults per week) were provided by the Mississippi Legislature. USDA (ARS and APHIS) researchers and mass rearing personnel have occupied the facility since its opening. Another Federal program that was initiated during this time was the rearing of the southwestern corn borer by the ARS Corn Insect Research Unit located also in the Boll Weevil Research Laboratory. Dr. Frank M. Davis was the entomologist in charge of developing the rearing systems for the southwestern corn borer and later other lepidopterans such as the fall armyworm, corn earworm and the tobacco budworm for developing plants resistant to these pests. Over the years, these Federal programs evolved highly efficient, fully automated to semi- automated components of the systems used for mass rearing the boll weevil and several Lepidoptera species. Some of their scientists have been recognized internationally and their technology has been and is presently being widely used world-wide. Their successes are due in part to Dr. Peter Sikorowski, an internationally recognized insectary pathologist, within the Department of Entomology, who worked diligently with these local Federal rearing programs to help minimize the impact of disease organisms & microbial diet contaminants within their insectaries. The R.T. Gast Laboratory is now occupied by the Biological Control Mass Rearing Research Unit (ARS). Its sole mission is to develop suitable diets and mass rearing systems for a variety of insects including predators, parasites, plant feeding hemipteran and homopteran spp., and lepidopteran spp. Their diets and rearing technologies are then transferred to interested public and private enterprises. Key to the success of this research unit's mission has been Dr. Allen A. Cohen who is an internationally recognized insect biochemist focusing on the area of developing suitable artificial diets for a wide variety of insects. Allen retired from USDA/ARS on January 3, 2003. He plans to continue his insect diet work in his new home in Arizona. We wish Allen and his wife Jackie the best in their new life adventures. The Gast facility is scheduled to close at the end of 2003 with the personnel of the research unit being transferred to the new Bio-Control building located at Stoneville, MS. The local USDA/ARS Corn & Cotton Host Plant Resistance Research Units continue to rear the southwestern corn borer, fall armyworm, corn earworm, and tobacco budworm, utilizing one of the most efficient rearing systems ever developed for mid-sized production of lepidopterans. The Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Experiment Station recently provided funds for the construction of a new insect rearing facility in the Clay Lyle Entomology Building. The facility, now completed, is a state-of-the-art-rearing laboratory for producing small (hundreds) to medium (thousands) numbers of insects. This facility is being used to rear various insects for research purposes, to conduct rearing research, and to serve as a teaching laboratory for workshops and a projected university course in insect rearing.
Entomologists in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Mississippi State University in partnership with some local USDA-ARS scientists have created a Center of Excellence in Insect Rearing Science and Technology. The Center is comprised of scientists who are actively conducting insect rearing research and those that have expertise in areas essential to insect rearing such as genetics, biology, ecology, and insect pathology. The primary goals of the Center are to provide: insect rearing education, research that will advance the science and technology of insect rearing, and leadership to enhance the recognition of insect rearing as a legitimate subdivision of entomology.
In the fall of 2000, the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology in partnership with USDA-ARS scientists sponsored its first 5-day workshop entitled "Principles and Procedures for Rearing Quality Insects". Due to the overwhelming response by the insect rearing community, a total of five of these workshop sessions have now been held. Each session is limited to 24 students. A total of 117 students from all over the world have attended the workshops. The workshop begins on Sunday afternoon and ends the following Friday afternoon. It consists of lectures on development and treatment of artificial diets, rearing systems, insectary pathology, genetics of insect colonization, insectary design, quality control, insectary management as a business, environmental biology as related to rearing, and insectary safety and health considerations; hands on labs; tours of state-of-the-art rearing facilities; and social events and breaks that allow beneficial interactions to occur among students and workshop staff. Each student is given a large manual containing written versions of all of the lectures plus appropriate reprints and other information. Workshop lecturers have included the following members of the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology: Mike Carpio (Insect Genetist), Frank Davis (Insect Rearing Specialist/Rearing Systems) and John Schneider (Insect Ecologist). Local USDA-ARS scientists have included Allen Cohen (Insect Biochemist/Diets) and Don Nordlund (Insect Rearing Specialist/Insectary Design). Other speakers have included Carrol Calkins (Insect Rearing Specialist/Quality Control, USDA-ARS), Bill Fisher (Insectary Supervisor, BASF Corp.), Doug Inglis (former MSU Insect Pathologist, presently employed with Agriculture & Ag Food Canada) and Norma Leppla (Insect Rearing Specialist/Quality Control, University of Florida). Frank Davis has served as workshop coordinator. These lecturers have over a hundred years of cumulative experience in rearing. During the week we asked the students to score the workshop using a comprehensive evaluation form. The scores range from 1 (ineffective or non-useful) to 5 (highly effective or highly useful). Careful attention is paid to the evaluations in order to constantly improve the quality of the workshop. In the fall of 2002 the overall score for usefulness of the workshop was 4.9. The average score for effectiveness of lecturers was 4.5. The cost of attending the workshop is $875. To secure a spot in a class of 24, we require a pre-registration fee of $275. Seats within a class are based on a first come first serve basis (date of receipt of pre-registration check). The remaining balance of $600 is required at the on-site registration. Barbara Perrigin is in charge of our workshop registration. To contact Barbara, you can use the following communication methods: e-mail bperrigin@entomology.msstate.edu phone # 662-325-2086, fax # 662-325-8837 or mailing address, Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Box 9775, Mississippi State, MS 39762. For general information on the workshop, please contact Frank Davis, the workshop coordinator. His email is fdavis@entomology.msstate.edu and phone # 662-325-2983. The Center of Excellence in Insect Rearing Science & Technology envisions continuing the sponsorship of periodic workshops that focus on various areas of insect rearing, offering the first college level course in rearing, producing the first instructional text book on rearing, and offering graduate research opportunities in insect rearing.
The Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology plans to sponsor a 4.5-day workshop during September (15th - 19th) focusing on Insectary Pathology (diseases and microbial contamination of artificial diets). This workshop will cost & will be administered the same as outlined above for our previous workshops. Also, workshop lecturers are writing a book based on our workshop "Principles and Procedures Used to Rear Quality Insects". Right now, we are looking at the spring 2004 to hold our next "Principles and Procedures for Rearing Quality Insects" workshop.
We are offering new pathology services for the insect rearing community. It consists of identifying microbes causing diseases & those involved in spoiling artificial diets used to feed insects; testing antibiotics for their effectiveness against bacteria; periodic checks on colony health to avoid pathological problems; and suggestions as to how to correct problems associated with microbes in insectary environments. Attached are forms describing the services provided and for submitting samples.
Purpose: Identification of disease organisms and microbes responsible for contaminating insect colonies and their artificial rearing diets. Basic service: Initial population screen of up to 20 insects for infectious disease organisms [bacteria, fungi, protozoa, occluded viruses, and nematodes]. This includes a stained smear from each insect as well as streaking on microbiological agar plates. ($45 per population). Additional services: Antibiotic sensitivity assay (12-15 antibiotics used) for bacteria encountered from initial screen ($25 per assay). Identification of bacterium (to genus) isolated from initial screen ($65 per bacterium). Non-occluded virus screen by TEM (will include representative photos from sample) ($85 per sample). Fungal culture identification ($25 per identification). Routine screen: We can also offer periodic population screens of up to 20 insects per sample date and population for early detection and prevention of insectary diseases (frequency and cost to be negotiated). Written and/or verbal report within 2 to 3 weeks. If you are interested in any of these services, please contact: Amanda Lawrence
Insect Pathology Sample Submission Form
Address: ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Phone/Fax: ______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
______ Initial screen ______ Antibiotic sensitivity assay ______ Bacterial identification ______ Non-occluded virus examination ______ Fungal identification
Comments: ______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Barbara Perrigin is in charge of workshop registration. To contact Barbara, you can use the following communication methods: e-mail bperrigin@entomology.msstate.edu phone # 662-325-2086, fax # 662-325-8837 or mailing address, Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Box 9775, Mississippi State, MS 39762. For general information on the workshop, please contact Frank Davis, the workshop coordinator. His email is fdavis@entomology.msstate.edu and phone # 662-325-2983. |
