Well-Deserved Honor

Whether it's spotted-wing Drosophila, codling moth or light brown apple moth--or myriads of other invasives--integrated pest management (IPM) specialist Frank Zalom knows his pests and how to manage them.

Zalom, professor and former vice chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology, directed the statewide UC IPM program for 16 years. His name is well known in state, national and international IPM circles.

Last week: another well-deserved honor for his stellar work.  Zalom received the Entomological Foundation's "Award for Excellence in IPM" at the 58th annual Entomological Society of America meeting in San Diego. Some 3000 of the ESA's 6000-member organization attended the four-day conference.

The IPM award is given for "outstanding contributions to iPM," according to foundation president S. Bradleigh Vinson, professor of entomology at Texas A&M University. 

Zalom was described as "a professor of entomology, an extension agronomist, and an entomologist in the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of California, Davis." 

Zalom's current research focuses primarily on California specialty crops, including tree crops (almonds, olives, prunes, peaches), small fruits (grapes, strawberries, caneberries) and fruiting vegetable (tomatoes).

Here's what the foundation had to say about him:

"The IPM strategies and tactics he has developed include monitoring procedures, thresholds, pest development and population models, biological controls, and use of less toxic pesticides, which have become standard in practice and part of the UC IPM Guidelines for these crops. His lab has responded to six important pest invasions in the last decade, with research projects on glassy-winged sharpshooter, olive fruit fly, a new biotype of greenhouse whitefly, invasive saltcedar, light brown apple moth, and the spotted-wing Drosophila. 

"The results of these studies are reflected in Dr. Zalom's 290 authored/co-authored/refereed journal articles or book chapters and 140 extension publications."

Congratulations!