Education

Education

• Ph.D. in Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 2021
• M.S. in Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 2015
• B.S. in Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan, 2013

Publications

Referred Journal Publications:

1. Lai, P.-C., Grundberg, E. A., Rusinek T., & Nault, B. A. (2023). Evaluation of reflective mulch and insect exclusion coverings for allium leafminer (Diptera: Agromyzidae) management in allium crops. Journal of Economic Entomology, 117(1), 259-267 https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toad235
2. Lai, P.-C., Sandhi, R. K., & Nault, B. A. (2023). Allium leafminer (Diptera: Agromyzidae) host preference: implications for developing a trap cropping strategy. Frontiers in Insect Science, 3:1233130. https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2023.1233130
3. Lin, P.-A., Paudel, S, Lai, P.-C., GC, R. K., Yang, D.-H., Felton, G. W. (2023). Integrating water and insect pest management in agriculture. Journal of Pest Science, 91:521-538. http://doi.org/10.1007/S10340-023-01701-W
4. Lai, P.-C., Iglesias, L., Groves, R. L., Havey, M. J., & Nault, B. A. (2022). Performance of a semi-glossy onion hybrid in certified organic onion fields infested with Thrips tabaci and bulb-rot causing bacteria. Crop Protection, 160, 106037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2022.106037
5. LaTora, A. G., Lai, P.-C., Chen, Y.-J., Gautam, S., Abney, M. R., & Srinivasan, R. (2022) Frankliniella fusca (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), the vector of tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus infecting peanut in the southeastern United States. Journal of Integrated Pest Management, 13(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmab045
6. Lai, P.-C., Abney, M. R., Bag, S., Culbreath, A. K., & Srinivasan, R. (2021). Impact of host resistance to tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus in peanut cultivars on virus population genetics and thrips fitness. Pathogens, 10(11), 1418. https://doi.org/10.3390/PATHOGENS10111418
7. Lai, P.-C., Abney, M. R., Chen, Y.-J., Bag, S., & Srinivasan, R. (2021). Discrepancies in serology-based and nucleic acid-based detection and quantitation of tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus in leaf and root tissues from symptomatic and asymptomatic peanut plants. Pathogens, 10(11), 1476. https://doi.org/10.3390/PATHOGENS10111476
8. Srinivasan, R., Abney, M. R., Lai, P.-C., Culbreath, A. K., Tallury, S., & Leal-Bertioli, S. C. M. (2018). Resistance to thrips in peanut and implications for management of thrips and thrips-transmitted orthotospoviruses in peanut. Frontiers in Plant Science, 871(9), 1604. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01604

Extension and Outreach

1. Lai, P.-C. and Nault, B. A. (2023) Evaluation of spirotetramat with adjuvants for enhancing onion thrips control in onion, 2023. Arthropod Management Tests, 48(1), tsad120. https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsad120
2. Lai, P.-C. and Nault, B. A. (2023) Potato leafhopper control in potato, 2023. Arthropod Management Tests, 48(1), tsad117. https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsad117
3. Bhandari, R., Lai, P.-C., Nault, B. A. (2023) Allium leafminer identification, biology and control. Vegetable Pest Fact Sheet, New York State Integrated Pest Management, Cornell CALS. https://cals.cornell.edu/new-york-state-integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/fact-sheets/allium-leafminer
4. Komondy, L., Salgado, L. D., and Lai, P.-C. (2023) Rolling with the Scientific Punches. American Entomologist, 69 (2), 25.
5. Lai, P.-C. and Nault, B. A. Do thrips facilitate bulb rot disease? Onion World, December 2022.
6. Lai, P.-C. and Nault, B. A. Are onion thrips allies of bulb-rot causing bacteria in organic onion production? Cornell Cooperative Extension VEGEdge newsletters 18 (16), July 27, 2022.
7. Lai, P.-C. and Nault, B. A. Optimizing onion thrips management programs in organic onion production. Organic Vegetable Production Conference handout. February 07, 2022.

Presentations

Invited Presentations

1. Lai, P.-C. Applied Ecology Research for Agricultural Pest Management. Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. December 8, 2023
2. Lai, P.-C. Expand your IPM toolbox: advancing pest management through applied ecology research. UNL Crops IPM Entomologist Interview Research Seminar. Lincoln, NE. May 17, 2023
3. Lai, P.-C. Get the most out of IPM research to serve growers in NE and beyond. UNL Crops IPM Entomologist Interview Extension Seminar. Scottsbluff, NE. May 15, 2023
4. Lai, P.-C. and Nault, B. A. Would trap cropping be a viable management option for Allium leafminer in organic Allium crop production? Symposium: Early Career Professionals Adapting and Achieving across Disciplines. 2023 Eastern Branch Meeting, Entomological Society of America, Providence, RI. March 19, 2023.
5. Lai, P.-C. My journey in the United States ft. Agricultural pest management in the U.S. (virtual; in Mandarin). Monthly Seminar Series, Taiwanese Entomologists around the World. September 17, 2022.

Contributed Presentations (society conferences):

1. Lai, P.-C., Sandhi, R. K., Vetrovec, O., Shields, E., Nault, B. A. Managing Colorado potato beetle and corn wireworm with indigenous entomopathogenic nematodes in potato (10-minute paper). Entomology 2023, Entomological Society of America national meeting, National Harbor, MD, November 5-8, 2023
2. Lai, P.-C., Sandhi, R. K., Nault, B. A. Tackling allium leafminer, an invasive pest of Allium crops, in the eastern US (10-minute paper). Entomological Society of America national meeting (joint meeting with ESC, and ESBC. Vancouver, BC, Canada. November 13-16, 2022.
3. Lai, P.-C., Iglesias, L., Nault, B. A. Optimizing onion thrips management programs in organic onion production (12-minute paper).

Awards and Honors

• Eastern Branch Excellence in Early Career Research Award, Entomological Society of America (2024)
• Herbert H. Ross Memorial Scholarship, Department of Entomology, University of Georgia (2020)
• Second Place President’s Prize Student Competition, 10-minute presentation, Entomological Society of America (2020)
• First Place National Peanut Board Graduate Student Poster Contest, American Peanut Research and Education Society (2020)
• Entomology Scholarship in recognition of Accomplishments as an outstanding Ph.D. student, Georgia Entomological Society (2019)
• Second Place Photo Salon Contest (biology category), Georgia Entomological Society (2019)
• Second Place C. M. Beckman Award for the best paper by a Ph.D. student, Georgia Entomological Society (2018)
• First Place C. M. Beckman Award for the best paper by a Ph.D. student, Georgia Entomological Society (2016)
• First place Academic Presidential Award, Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University (2009)