Federal Grant Award Summary

Cornell University's Office of Sponsored Programs received a $180,000 project grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), CFDA 10.310, awarded on May 1, 2026, with a completion date of April 30, 2029. The research will be conducted at Cornell's Ithaca, New York facility and addresses the threat posed by the Black Stem Borer (Xylosandrus germanus), an invasive insect pest that damages apple trees and threatens the nation's billion-dollar apple production industry.

The project will deliver research products and services focused on developing sustainable pest management strategies for apple orchards. Specifically, Cornell will conduct laboratory experiments to identify which tree stress conditions attract beetles and perform chemical analyses to isolate the specific odor compounds released by stressed trees. The research will culminate in field experiments to evaluate whether these naturally occurring compounds can be formulated into improved lures that attract beetles away from orchards as part of a push-pull pest management strategy. The project outcomes will provide apple growers with innovative, environmentally sustainable tools to manage invasive pests while reducing dependence on broad-spectrum insecticides, thereby supporting long-term agricultural productivity and food security.