Dr. Jeff Lord Research Entomologist Biological Research Unit Grain Marketing & Production Research Center 1515 College Ave. Manhattan, KS 66502 Voice: (785) 776-2705 Fax: (785) 537-5584 jeffrey.lord@ars.usda.gov ars.usda.gov/npa/gmprc/bru/lord

Research Interests

Insect pathology, particularly pathogenic Protozoa and fungi. Epizootiology of insect diseases. Interactions of pathogens with pest hosts and beneficial insects.

Current Projects

Epizootiology of protozoan diseases of stored-product pests.

Protozoan diseases are common in stored-product insects. They often cause population crashes in laboratory colonies, but their significance in suppressing natural pest populations remains to be determined. We are accumulating data on factors, such as host range, temperature tolerances, dose response, and dispersal capacity in order to understand their role in natural control and potential to be augmented.

Identification of synergists for fungi pathogenic for stored-grain beetles.

Ironically, fungi that are pathogenic for insects can be both efficacious and inefficient. The commercially-produced fungus, Beauveria bassiana, kills the lesser grain borer at low concentrations, but only a very small fraction of the spores that impinge on the beetle germinate and attack the host. We have found that low doses of diatomaceous earth synergize the fungus in attacking some beetles. We are studying the mechanism for this interaction and searching for other synergistic combinations.

Evaluation of new pathogen species and isolates as microbial control agents.

Undiscovered pathogen species and strains offer untapped potential for development as microbial control agents. We are looking for new pathogens locally and in the collections of collaborators to test against of stored-product pests.

Assessment of the impact of pathogens with broad host range on beneficial wasps.

Mutual compatibility of biological control agents is of particular concern when pathogens are involved. We have found that parasitic wasps that attack the sawtoothed grain beetle are susceptible to Beauveria bassiana, which is primarily a soil inhabitant. The wasps apparently cannot detect and avoid it. We will now determine how the wasps respond to Mattesia dispora, a protozoan pathogen that is more closely associated with the sawtoothed grain beetle and its habitat. Because the wasp, host and protozoan presumably have a closer natural association than that involving the fungus, there may be a very different response.

Determination of means by which pathogens are able to escape host immune responses.

Successful pathogens are able to circumvent or overcome the immune systems of their hosts. It is likely that the recognition and signaling mechanisms are defeated. We are studying the interaction of successful fungal and protozoan pathogens and insect immune mediators.

Project Information

A Mattesia pathogenic for stored-product insects

A neogregarine parasite of the genus Mattesia is a prevalent mortality factor for the rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, in colonies at GMPRC. It is infectious for the sawtoothed grain beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis and two Lepidoptera pests of stored products, Plodia interpunctella and Ephestia kuhniella. It is more virulent for rusty grain beetles than for sawtoothed grain beetles.
     Poster

Cuticular lipids of Liposcelis bostrycophila and their implications for tolerance of entomopathogenic fungi

Liposcelis bostrycophila is psocopteran whose presence in dwellings and stored foods is drawing increasing concern in many areas of the world because of its enormous population growth potential. In an effort to find nontoxic agents for its control, we conducted maximum challenge assays of fungi of broad host range. The results demonstrate that it is remarkably tolerant of the best known entomopathogenic Hyphomycetes (Table 1). We suspected that cuticular lipids might play a role in this tolerance. We characterized cuticular lipid extracts with electron impact mass spectral analysis and measured the effect of selected polar components on adherence, germination and growth of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae.
     Poster

Desiccation stress increases the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana for stored-product pests

A dominant and unfortunate belief about entomogenous fungi is that their efficacies are inexorably linked to elevated ambient humidity. There is abundant evidence that the interaction of entomogenous fungi with ambient humidity depends on strain, host, and environment. Furthermore, we have found that Beauveria bassiana is most efficacious for Rhyzopertha dominica with stressful dryness. The purpose of this study was to determine if desiccation stress improves the performance of B. bassiana against a range of stored-product pests, especially Tribolium castaneum, which is to serve as the model insects for determination of mechanism and applicability to other stresses.
     Poster

Interaction of Mattesia oryzaephili with Cephalonomia parasitoids of its coleopteran hosts, Cryptolestes ferrugineus and Oryzaephilus surinamensis

The rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, and the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, are among the most abundant cosmopolitan pests of stored grain. The beetles are attacked by the bethylid parasitoids, Cephalonomia waterstoni and Cephalonomia tarsalis, respectively, well as by the neogregarine Mattesia oryzaephili. This study was an effort to determine how these beneficial species would interact. Did the parasitoids become infected? Would infection render the wasps ineffective biological control agents, or would they act as reservoirs and vectors, while continuing to prey on and parasitize beetle larvae?
     Poster

Response of the wasp Cephalonomia tarsalis to Beauveria bassiana as free spores or infection in its host, the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis.

Cephalonomia tarsalis (Bethylidae) is a predator and ectoparasitoid of larval sawtoothed grain beetles (STGB). The beetle larvae are also very susceptible to Beauveria bassiana, a registered mycoinsecticide with excellent prospects for use against grain storage and processing pests. This work addresses the compatibility of the two biological control agents.
     Poster

Temperature and Humidity Interactions of Beauveria bassiana and Diatomaceous Earth for Control of the Lesser Grain Borer, Rhyzopertha dominica: An Unexpected Increase in Fungal Efficacy with Low Moisture

A prevailing belief about entomogenous fungi is that their efficacies are inexorably linked to elevated ambient humidity. However, there is abundant published evidence indicates that the interaction of entomogenous fungi with ambient humidity depends on strain, host, and environment. Desiccant dusts have been shown to synergize Beauveria bassiana's effect on Rhyzopertha dominica under our standard assay conditions. This study was conducted to: 1. determine the effects of B. bassiana and diatomaceous earth through a range of conditions 2. assess the fungus' impact on adult and larval beetles 3. determine the longevity of inoculum under various temperature and moisture conditions and on wheat as a substrate.
     Research Paper      Poster

Tritrophic Interactions and Storage Pest Control: Interaction of the Fungus Beauveria bassiana with Resistant Oat Varieties for Control of Oryzaephilus surinamensis

The sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae), is a common pest of stored oats. Use of resistant cultivars or entomopathogenic fungi each provide partial control of this pest. We tested the hypothesis that the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, would be more efficacious on oat cultivars on which the immature development period of the sawtoothed grain beetle was prolonged. We also conducted dose-response tests with the fungus to determine optimal application rates for control of O. surinamensis on cracked and whole oats.
     Poster

Recent Publications

To list all publications and request reprints for which no PDF file is available, click here.
PDF	Park, Y., J. Aikins, L.J. Wang, R.W. Beeman, B. Oppert, J.C. Lord, S.J. Brown, M.D. Lorenzen, S. Richards, G.M. Weinstock, and R.A. Gibbs. 2008. Analysis of transcriptome data in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol. 38: 380-386.
PDF	Tribolium Sequencing Consortium (includes R.W. Beeman, M.D. Lorenzen, B. Oppert, J. Lord, K. Kramer, Y. Arakane). 2008. The genome of the model beetle and pest Tribolium castaneum. Nature 452: 949-955.
PDF	Lord, J.C. 2007. Desiccation increases the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana for stored-grain pest insect control. J. Stored Prod. Res. 43: 535-539.
PDF	Lord, J.C. 2007. Enhanced efficacy of Beauveria bassiana for red flour beetle with reduced moisture. J. Econ. Entomol. 100: 1071-1074.
	Lord, J.C. 2007. Prospects for the use of entomopathogenic fungi for control of stored-product pests. J. Anhui Agric. Univ. 34: 167-173. (Link to article)
PDF	Lord, J.C. 2007. Detection of Mattesia oryzaephili (Neogregarinorida: Lipotrophidae) in grain beetle laboratory colonies with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 94: 74-76.
Available at NAL DDR	Lord, J.C., J.F. Campbell, J.D. Sedlacek, and P.V. Vail. 2007. Application and evaluation of entomopathogens for managing insects in stored products. p. 677-693. In: Field Manual of Techniques in Invertebrate Pathology. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
	Lord, J.C. 2006. Perspectives for biological control of stored-product pests using entomopathogens, alone and in combination with beneficial insects. Proceedings of the 6th Meeting of COST Action 842 Working Group IV, Biocontrol of Arthropod Pests in Stored Products, Locorotondo, Italy, June 10-11, 2005. p. 1-16. (Link to article)
PDF	Lord, J.C. 2006. Interaction of Mattesia oryzaephili (Neogregarinorida: Lipotrophidae) with Cephalonomia spp. (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) and their hosts Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae). Biol. Control 37: 167-172.
PDF	Akbar, W., J.C. Lord, J.R. Nechols, and T.M. Loughin. 2005. Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana for red flour beetle when applied with plant essential oils or in mineral oil and organosilicone carriers. J. Econ. Entomol. 98: 683-688.
PDF	Lord, J.C. 2005. From Metchnikoff to Monsanto and beyond: the path of microbial control. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 89: 19-29.
PDF	Lord, J.C. 2005. Low humidity, moderate temperature, and desiccant dust favor efficacy of Beauveria bassiana (Hyphomycetes: Moniliales) for the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Biol. Control 34: 180-186.
PDF	Akbar, W., J.C. Lord, J.R. Nechols, and R.W. Howard. 2004. Diatomaceous earth increases the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana against Tribolium castaneum larvae and increases conidia attachment. J. Econ. Entomol. 97: 273-280.
	Lord, J.C. 2004. Stored grain and flour insects and their management, pp. 2133-2138. In: J.L. Capinera (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Entomology. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.
PDF	Lord, J.C., and R.W. Howard. 2004. A proposed role for the cuticular fatty amides of Liposcelis bostrychophila (Psocoptera: Liposcelidae) in preventing adhesion of entomopathogenic fungi with dry-conidia. Mycopathologia 158: 211-217.
PDF	Throne, J.E., and J.C. Lord. 2004. Control of sawtoothed grain beetles (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) in stored oats by using an entomopathogenic fungus in conjunction with seed resistance. J. Econ. Entomol. 97: 1765-1771.
PDF	Howard, R.W., and J.C. Lord. 2003. Cuticular lipids of the booklouse, Liposcelis bostrychophila: hydrocarbons, aldehydes, fatty acids, and fatty acid amides. J. Chem. Ecol. 29: 615-627.
PDF	Lord, J.C. 2003. Mattesia oryzaephili (Neogregarinorida: Lipotrophidae), a pathogen of stored-grain insects: virulence, host range and comparison with Mattesia dispora. Biocontrol Sci. Tech. 13: 589-598.
PDF	Lord, J.C., S. Anderson, and D.W. Stanley. 2002. Eicosanoids mediate Manduca sexta cellular response to the fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana: a role for the lipoxygenase pathway. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 51: 46-54.
PDF	Lord, J. C. 2001. Desiccant dusts synergize the effect of Beauveria bassiana (Hyphomycetes: Moniliales) on stored-grain beetles. J. Econ. Entomol. 94: 367-372.
PDF	Lord, J. C. 2001. Response of the wasp Cephalonomia tarsalis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) to Beauveria bassiana (Hyphomycetes: Moniliales) as free conidia or infection in its host, the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae). Biol. Control 21: 300-304.
Available at NAL DDR	Moore, D., J.C. Lord, and S.M. Smith. 2000. Pathogens, pp. 193-225. In: B. Subramanyam and D.W. Hagstrum (Eds.), Alternatives to pesticides in stored-product IPM. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, MA.
Show All Publications