Subtropical Agriculture and Environments Society
75th Annual Meeting 2021
Christopher Vitek, President
Titles & Speakers
Dr. Iain Patterson (Rhodes University, Makahnda, South Africa), “The Control of Invasive Alien Plants with Biocontrol in South Africa”
Dr. Baldwyn Torto (International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya), “Semiochemical Management of Fruit Flies“
Dr. Cassandra Reyes-Garcia (Centro de Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan, Yucatan, Mexico), “Tracking a Decade of Climate Change in the Last Tropical Forests of Mexico Using Epiphytes as Bioindicators”
Dr. Lina Bernaola (Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA), “Do Arbusclar Mycorrhizae Fungi Enhance Plant Tolerance Against Insects?“
Dr. Vicky Liu (Baylor University, Waco, TX), “Potential Concern of Glyphosate: Synergistic Toxicity with Environmental Pollutants“
Dr. Jong-Won Park (TAMU Kingsville Citrus Center, Weslaco, TX), “Long-term Evaluation of Citrus Fibrous Root Tissue as a Source for Improved HLB Diagnosis.”
Dr. Guilherme Klafke Institute of Veterinary Research, Eldorado do Sul, Brazil),” Pesticide Resistance in Ticks“
Dr. Rupesh Kariyat (UTRGV, Edinburg, TX), “Insect Ecology in the Rio Grande Valley: Current Research and Future Directions“
Dr. Robert Godfrey (University of the Virgin Islands, Kingshill, VI), “Physiology of Adapted Livestock in a Tropical Environment“
Dr. Timothy Hartmann (TAMU, College Station, TX), “Golden Kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis Planch) in Texas: Conclusions and Outlook for the Future”
Dr. Alex Racelis (UTRGV, Edinburg, TX), “On Becoming a Hispanic Serving Agricultural University: Research, Education, and Community at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley”
Subtropical Agriculture and Environments Society
Titles & Speakers
74th Annual Meeting 2020
Michelle Garcia, President
Dr. Roberto Rodriguez, USDA-APHIS, “Aerial Robotics and Automation for Pest Detection and Control”
Dr. Robin Choudhury, UTRGV, “Using Plant Pathology to Solve Integrated Pest Management Challenges”
Dr. Holly Davis, Texas A&M AgriLife, “Improving Hessian Fly Integrated Pest Management: Turning Research into Recommendations”
Dr. Hannah Penn, UTRGV, “Blurring the Lines Between Ant Seed Dispersal and Predation”
Dr. Maria Cervantes, STC, “Planting Seeds of Scientific Inquiry Through Collaborative Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students”
Dr. Steven Lukefahr, TAMUK, “Microlivestock Production in South Texas”
Student Presentations:
Mylen Arias, UTRGV, “Discerning Competitive vs. Facilitative Relationships of Weeds on Forest Restoration Efforts at La Sal Del Rey, TX”
Alondra Rodriguez, TSTC, “Diversity of Begomoviruses (family Geminiviridae) in Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley whiteflies”
Rachel Malampy, UTRGV, “Mosquito Population Dynamics in South Texas”
Abdullahi Mijinyawa, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, “Screening for Drought Tolerance in Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Varieties Using Conventional and Molecular Approaches”
Jasleen Kaur, UTRGV, “Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) on Growth and Herbivore Defenses in Sorghum-Sudangrass (Sorghum X Drummondii)”
Faeqa Mohsin, UTRGV, “Assessing Species-Specific Responses to Forest Restoration Interventions in the Lower Rio Grande Valley”
Dario Rueda Kunz, TAMU, “Phenotypic Diversity and Genome-Wide Association Mapping of Vitamin C Content in Spinach”
Cecilia Villegas, TAMUK, “Development of a Technique for Reliable Recovery of Testable Asian Citrus Psyllid Individuals from Field Deployed Sticky Cards” Que
Subtropical Agriculture and Environments Society
Titles & Speakers
73th Annual Meeting 2019
Madurababu Kunta, President
Larry Gilbert, UT Austin, Invasion ecology of ants in South Texas
Gregory Sword, TAMU, The boll weevil: Don’t you forget about me
Engil Pereira, UT RGV, Soil biological activity and nutrient release in organic sweet potato farming
Alex Racelis, UT RGV, Lessons learned from the Subtropical Soil Health Initiative: The suitability of cover crops in South Texas
Veronica Ancona, TAMU-K, Characterization of native Trichoderma isolates from Texas citrus orchards
Juan Anciso, Agrilife Extension, TAMU, Texas PSA Grower trainings update for 2017 to 2018
Tanner Machado, TAMU-K, Processed and Fresh Meats: Sweet sorghum syrup in processed meats and dietary sulfur’s impact on Dorper ground lamb flavor
Subtropical Agriculture and Environments Society
Titles & Speakers
72th Annual 2018 Meeting
Dr. Debbie Villalon, (STC) President SAES
John Goolsby, (USDA) Secretary SAES
- Barry Goldsmith, NOAA, ‘Meteorological update for LRGV agriculture‘
- Shad Nelson,’ Advancing Student Learning Opportunities in the Agricultural and Biological Sciences through Hispanic Serving Institutional Collaborations‘
- Hugh Conway, APHIS, Mexican Fruit Fly –’Aerial release of Mexican fruit fly by Drone (UAV) ‘
- Robert Miller, ‘Areawide management of Cattle Fever Tick in Puerto Rico‘
- Randy Stanko, ‘Utilization of Hair Sheep as an alternative small ruminant in South Texas‘
- Larry Smith,’ Update on Boll Weevil Eradication in the LRGV and Tamualipas’
- Sonja Swiger, Extension, ‘CDC center for excellence in vector borne disease‘
- Ninfa Ramos, ‘Development of Some Strategies for the Control of Spodoptera sp.‘
Subtropical Agriculture and Environments Society
Titles & Speakers
71th Annual 2017 Meeting
Dr. Don Thomas, (on the left) (USDA) President SAES
John Goolsby, (on the right) (USDA) Secretary SAES
- Barry Goldsmith, (not pictured), NOAA, Meteorological update for LRGV Agriculture
- Christopher Gabler, (not pictured),(UTRGV Brownsville) ‘Impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems in south Texas and beyond’
- John Thomas, (not pictured),(UTRGV – Edinburg) ‘Evaluation of a Novel Animal Model for Zika Virus’
- Evan Braswell, (second from left),(USDA-APHIS) ‘Development of a CRISPR-based anti microbial for HLB‘; Braswell SAES 2017 Abstract
- Ismael Badillo,(second from the right), (AgriLife) ‘Forging new tools for the war against Bactericera cockerelli and “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’
- Andrew Chow, (middle), (TAMUK) ‘Development and field evaluation of a system for autodissemination of entomopathogenic fungi to control the Asian citrus psyllid on residential citrus’; Chow SAES 2017 Abstract
- Tripti Vashisth( not pictured) (Univ. of Florida-IFAS) ‘Citrus Production under Huanglongbing prevalent’