Location: Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research
Project Number: 2034-22000-014-021-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2023
End Date: Aug 31, 2025
Objective:
Update, enhance, and program software to statistically analyze data from AC-DC electropenetrography (EPG) of arthropod feeding.
Approach:
AC-DC electropenetrography (EPG) unmasks otherwise invisible, piercing-sucking feeding behaviors by vectors of plant and animal pathogens. AC-DC EPG has expanded the use of EPG from tiny aphids to all sizes of arthropod, including blood-feeders and large plant-feeders like sharpshooters. Yet, EPG is not widely used, in part because statistical analysis is presently performed by using many different, cumbersome SAS programs, simple ANOVA’s, and time-consuming, manual mining of data. Thus, there is a strong need to modernize EPG analysis software to the latest, web-based R programming language, and develop more sophisticated, modern analysis models with multivariate and other models. The work proposed herein will establish a cooperation between ARS in Parlier, CA, and the University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred, FL. Cooperator will perform variable EPG recordings with Asian citrus psyllid, citrus mealybug, and other citrus pest insects as necessary to provide data for software development. Cooperator will convert older SAS programs to the R platform, and enhance the software’s analysis capabilities to modern standards. Cooperator will also collate, combine and improve the five different analysis packages in use worldwide today, to develop all-new, comprehensive, state-of-the-art programs.
