Provide support for the on-goingfield release of a fungal pathogen for the biological control of thejapanese beetle

This cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service provides $129,850 to Michigan State University under the agency's Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care federal grant program (CFDA 10.025) to support ongoing field release of a fungal pathogen for biological control of the Japanese beetle from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023. Key activities include analyzing field-collected Japanese beetles to determine infection status, collecting infected beetles in Michigan and preparing/shipping fungal spore solutions to cooperators, and experiments to identify the best inoculation method for the pathogen. The award will also fund completion of a host range analysis of the pathogen among scarab beetle species. Michigan State University will summarize project activities and results in a final report and several peer-reviewed scientific journals. This supports the program's goal of protecting U.S. agriculture from economically damaging pests and diseases.

Activities for this project include analysis of fieldcollected japanese beetles to determine infection status, fieldcollection of infected japanese beetles (in michigan) and thepreparation and shipment of fungal spore solutions to cooperators, experiments to identify the best method to inoculate the pathogen andthe completion of a host-range analysis of the pathogen among scarabbeetle species. The status and results of project activities will besummarized in a final report as well as in several peer-reviewedscientific journals. The benefits of this project include a wide varietyof stakeholders who are directly impacted by severe japanese beetlepopulations that destructively feed upon a broad range of plants andtrees. There are no subawards on this project/agreement.