Pesticide resistance is a global issue that limits our ability to maintain increased agricultural production, and poses a threat to global food security. The proposed industry-university partnership plans to build on the extensive and complementary expertise in dealing with resistance across organisms and pesticide products of the assembled interdisciplinary team from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Colorado State University to isolate the factors contributing to resistance evolution, to develop long-term sustainable pest management approaches, and to provide training and education to facilitate the adoption of sound resistance management practices. The research of the planned I/UCRC for Ecology, Evolution and Management of Pesticide Resistance (CEEMPR) will focus on pesticide resistance management across insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and transgenic traits. The planned research activities of the center are complemented by educational efforts specifically designed to provide knowledge of pesticide resistance management at all level of the agricultural production system.
The planned I/UCRC will enable the fostering of interactions among industry, commodity groups, governmental agencies, academic researchers, graduate and undergraduate students. The center activities are strongly targeted towards providing training and education to students, postdoctoral fellows, as well as agricultural professionals and North American growers with the goal of meeting sustainable and wise stewardship of modern agricultural technologies, and to prepare a highly skilled workforce. Students will have the opportunities to participate in mentoring and professional development activities, and will be encouraged to seek opportunities for internships with industry partners. The planned I/UCRC will coordinate joint activities to involve students and postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented groups with the help of the Office of Equity, Access and Diversity at UNL, and from the Vice President for Diversity from CSU. The center aims to make substantial contributions to the field of pesticide resistance resulting in improved crop yield and quality for growers that promote global food security, and reduce agricultural losses.
