Research Project: Biological and Biotechnological Approaches for Management of Insect Vectors and Vector-borne Viruses Affecting Vegetable Crops

Location: Crop Improvement and Protection Research

Publications (Clicking on the reprint icon will take you to the publication reprint.)

Precision applications of organic pesticides for the control of aphids and thrips in California lettuce - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Abrams, A.E., Hasegawa, D.K., Grettenberger, I.M. 2026. Precision applications of organic pesticides for the control of aphids and thrips in California lettuce. Crop Protection. 206. Article 107642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2026.107642.

2026 Update on the Biology and Management of Thrips and INSV - (Abstract Only)

2026 Update on the Biology and Management of Thrips and INSV - (Abstract Only)

2026 Update on the Biology and Management of Thrips and INSV - (Abstract Only)

2026 Update on the Biology and Management of Thrips and INSV - (Abstract Only)

Watermelon chlorotic stunt virus - (Other)
Wintermantel, W.M. 2025. Watermelon chlorotic stunt virus. Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group Fact Sheet. Available: https://ecucurbitviruses.org/resources/fact-sheets-videos/watermelon-chlorotic-stunt-virus/.

Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder - (Other)

Breeding for virus resistance in melon (Cucumis melo) - (Book / Chapter)

Cucurbit chlorotic yellows - (Other)

Watermelon chlorotic stunt virus - (Other)
Melanson, R.A., Wintermantel, W.M. 2024. Watermelon chlorotic stunt virus. Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group Informational Postcard. Available: https://ecucurbitviruses.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/EVCWG-Postcard-WmCSV-English-SECURE.pdf.

High throughput sequencing reveals mixed infections of impatiens necrotic spot virus and tomato brown rugose fruit virus in bell pepper crops in Mexico - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
de los Angeles Mora-Ugalde, M., Miranda-Campana, O.A., Ramirez-Soto, M., Cruz-Jaramillo, J.L., de los Reyes Bolaños, I.E., Tovar-Pedraza, J.M., Wintermantel, W.M., Diaz-Lara, A. 2024. High throughput sequencing reveals mixed infections of impatiens necrotic spot virus and tomato brown rugose fruit virus in bell pepper crops in Mexico. Journal of Plant Pathology. 107:711–714. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-024-01806-w.

Engineering a robust infectious clone and gene silencing vector from blackberry yellow vein associated virus - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Sierra-Mejia, A., Villamor, D.E.V., Rocha, A., Wintermantel, W.M., Tzanetakis, I.E. 2024. Engineering a robust infectious clone and gene silencing vector from blackberry yellow vein associated virus. Virus Research. 350. Article 199488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2024.199488.

Emergence of watermelon chlorotic stunt virus in melon and watermelon in the southwestern United States - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Wintermantel, W.M., Tian, T., Chen, C., Winarto, N., Szumski, S., Hladky, L.L., Gurung, S., Palumbo, J.C. 2024. Emergence of watermelon chlorotic stunt virus in melon and watermelon in the southwestern United States. Plant Disease. 108(12):3664. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-24-1009-PDN.

2024 update on thrips and impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) disease incidence - (Abstract Only)

Squash vein yellowing virus from California emerged in the Middle East via intragenic and intergeneric recombination events in the hypervariable potyvirus P1 and ipomovirus P1a genes - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Alves de Macedo, M., Melgarejo, T., Vasquez-Mayorga, M., Cespedes, M., Rojas, M., Turini, T., Batuman, O., Wintermantel, W.M., Gilbertson, R.L. 2024. Squash vein yellowing virus from California emerged in the Middle East via intragenic and intergeneric recombination events in the hypervariable potyvirus P1 and ipomovirus P1a genes. Journal of General Virology. 105(10). Article 002033. https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.002033.

Rapid detection of Impatiens necrotic spot virus from thrips vectors using reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Zhang, S., Hladky, L.L., Hasegawa, D.K. 2024. Rapid detection of Impatiens necrotic spot virus from thrips vectors using reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification. Scientific Reports. 14. Article 21946. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-73078-4.

First report of Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) infecting lettuce in Mexico - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Mejia Quevedo, I., Hladky, L.L., Tlapal Bolanos, B., Hasegawa, D.K. 2024. First report of Impatiens necrotic spot virus infecting lettuce in Mexico. Plant Disease. 108(11):3423. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-24-1191-PDN.

2024 Update on Thrips and INSV - (Abstract Only)

Epidemiology and economic impact of Impatiens necrotic spot virus: A re-emerging orthotospovirus in the Salinas Valley of California - (Abstract Only)

Research to improve the management of thrips and Impatiens necrotic spot virus affecting California lettuce - (Abstract Only)

Unravelling landscape factors associated with outbreaks of thrips and thrips-transmitted viruses in lettuce in California - (Abstract Only)

I smell, therefore I react: Evaluating the performance of commercial lures on western flower thrips as potential tools for mass capture strategies in vegetable crops - (Abstract Only)

Operation bug drop: In-field drone releases of natural enemies to control lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri) and western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) in California lettuce - (Abstract Only)

It cannot be perfect, but can we do better? Insecticide spray coverage in lettuce - (Abstract Only)

Competency of two geographically distinct thrips populations in the acquisition of Impatiens necrotic spot virus - (Abstract Only)

Rapid real-time detection of Impatiens necrotic spot virus from western flower thrips using reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification - (Abstract Only)

Investigating the influence of landscape variables on the dispersal of western flower thrips and INSV incidence in lettuce production - (Abstract Only)

Tospoviruses: A growing threat to lettuce production in Mexico - (Abstract Only)

Harnessing thrips vectors to monitor pathogenic viruses affecting California lettuce - (Abstract Only)

Challenges and opportunities: Improving the management of thrips-transmitted viruses driving epidemics in California lettuce - (Abstract Only)

Current challenges and opportunities for managing viruses affecting lettuce in the Salinas Valley - (Abstract Only)

Watermelon chlorotic stunt virus: What you should know - (Other)
Wintermantel, W.M. 2024. Watermelon chlorotic stunt virus: What you should know. Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group Webinar. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSy7PEMSw3Q.

Monitoring Plutella xylostella in the Salinas Valley of California + New management technologies - (Abstract Only)

Timing matters: Remotely sensed vegetation greenness can predict insect vector migration and therefore outbreaks of curly top disease - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Lee, H., Wintermantel, W.M., Trumble, J.T., Nansen, C. 2024. Timing matters: Remotely sensed vegetation greenness can predict insect vector migration and therefore outbreaks of curly top disease. Journal of Pest Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-024-01771-4.

First report of cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus infecting cucurbit crops in Jamaica - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Pitter, P.L., Mondal, S., Chang, P.G., Morgan, L.M., Aikman, S., Wintermantel, W.M., Tennant, P.F. 2024. First report of cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus infecting cucurbit crops in Jamaica. Plant Disease. 108(4):1120. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-23-1551-PDN.

Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus - (Other)
Wintermantel, W.M. 2023. Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus. Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group. No. 2303. Available: https://ecucurbitviruses.org/resources/fact-sheets-videos/cucurbit-yellow-stunting-disorder-virus

Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus - (Other)
Wintermantel, W.M. 2022. Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus. Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group. No. 2201. Available: https://ecucurbitviruses.org/resources/fact-sheets-videos/cucurbit-chlorotic-yellows-virus

Improving monitoring, detection, and management strategies for thrips and INSV - (Abstract Only)

What can we do: Current status of insecticide resistance for diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) in California - (Abstract Only)

Hitting the mark: Precision pesticide applications for the control of aphids in California lettuce - (Abstract Only)