Entomology: Personnel
Entomology Faculty
Steve L. BrownProfessor of Entomology Contact InformationAddress: 111 Conner Hall Phone: (706) 542-3824 |
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My responsibilities include the development of educational programs addressing insect control in peanuts, corn and stored agricultural commodities. State-level educational programs are conducted using many different media such as extension publications, popular press articles, television, radio, video tapes and telephone hotlines. County-level programs are supported by providing training for county agents, speaking at local grower meetings and making farm visits at the county agent's request.
Georgia produces more peanuts than any other state and the peanut industry generates about one billion dollars annually for Georgia's economy. Insect problems are extremely dynamic, changing with changes in peanut production practices, varieties and with changes in South Georgia's overall agroecosystem. Integrated pest management techniques are emphasized and supported with a peanut scout training video, scout training manual and scout training schools.
Since the early 1990's, one of the most important insect control issues has been centered around tomato spotted wilt, a serious viral disease of peanut that is vectored in Georgia by two species of thrips, Frankinella fusca and F. occidentalis. By participating in interdisciplinary applied research programs, I am better able to conduct educational programs addressing this complicated problem. Using a tool known as the spotted wilt risk index, significant progress has been made in reducing losses to this disease.
In Georgia's warm, humid climate, insect problems are common in stored grains, peanuts and cottonseed. In the absence of satisfactory insecticides, insect management systems rely heavily on routine sampling programs, management of the storage environment and fumigation. Grain storage facilities located at the Tifton Campus are used for demonstration of these methods, testing new methodology and agent training.
Links
Selected Publications
Brown, S. L., J. W. Todd and A. K. Culbreath. 1996. Effect of selected cultural practices on incidence of tomato spotted wilt virus and populations of thrips vectors in peanuts. Acta Horticulturae 431: 491-498.
Brown, S. L. and R. D. Lee. 2002. Effect of planting date, variety and degree of ear maturation on the colonization of field corn by maize weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). J. Entomol. Sci. 37: 137-142.
Culbreath, A. K., J. W. Todd, and S. L. Brown. 2003. Epidemiology and Management of Tomato Spotted Wilt in Peanut. Annu. Rev. Phytopathol. 41: 53-75.
Brown, S. L., A. K. Culbreath, J. W. Todd, D. W. Gorbet, J. A., Baldwin, and J. P. Beasley. 2005. Development of a Method of Risk Assessment to Facilitate Integrated Management of Spotted Wilt of Peanut. Plant Disease 89(4): 348-356. (Feature Article).
Brown, S. L. (ed.). 1997. Wireworms Affecting Agriculture in Georgia. Univ. of Ga. Exp. Stn. Bul. 432 (26 pp.)
Brown, S.L., J.W. Todd, A.K. Culbreath, J.A. Baldwin, J.P.
Beasley, R. Kemerait, E. Prostko and N. Smith. 2004. Minimizing Spotted
Wilt of Peanut. Univ. of Ga. Coop. Ext. Ser. Bulletin 1165. 12 pp.
"Peanut Scouting in 30 Minutes". 1994. Univ. of Georgia, Cooperative
Extension Service Video Production. Produced by Steve L. Brown
and Jay Oliver.
“Managing Stored Grains in the Southeast.” 1999. Univ. of Georgia, Cooperative Extension Service Production. Produced by Steve L. Brown and Joe Courson.