Luis Teixeira
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I am a Visiting Research Associate with a joint appointment with Drs. Rufus Isaacs (Berry Crops Entomology) and Larry Gut (Tree Fruit Entomology). In the Berry Crop Entomology lab, my research focus is on chemical cues inducing feeding behavior in the blueberry maggot, and on modeling grape berry moth phenology.
Regarding feeding behavior in the blueberry maggot, I am currently evaluating the role of ammonium acetate and host plant-associated volatiles to enhance baits used in attract-and-kill pest management strategies. The grape berry moth phenology modeling is based on pheromone trap and scouting data from several sites over multiple years. I am attempting to develop a model to predict significant biological events, such as the beginning of moth flight and egglaying, using degree-day accumulation records obtained from the Michigan Automated Weather Network (MAWN) and the Enviroweather system.