Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources 3050 Maile Way, Room 310 Honolulu, HI  96822 Office: Gilmore 511A Phone: 808-956-7670 FAX: 808-956-2428 E-mail: markwrig@hawaii.edu Areas of research: IPM, tropical fruits and nuts, insect ecology, biological control Visit the Insect Ecology and IPM Lab web site for more information on research and pest management information  http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/wrightm

Education:
1986 B.S. Zoology and Entomology, University of Stellenbosch
1987 B.S. (Honors) Zoology, University of Stellenbosch
1990 M.S. Entomology, University of Stellenbosch
1997 Ph.D. Zoology and Entomology, University of Natal

My research program addresses the development of environmentally sound pest management options, with emphasis on tropical fruit and nut crops. My main research interest is biological control and its integration with other pest management options. A major component of my interest in biological control understanding how to quantify non-target risks and to plan introductions of biological control agents to have minimal impact on indigenous species, yet maximal impact upon pest populations.

Insect conservation is another of my research interests. Hawai'i provides an interesting location for the study of impacts of agriculture and other disturbances on endemic species. I hope to one day launch some projects on patterns of gall-insect diversity in the islands.

Extension projects include developing sampling plans and thresholds for pests of bananas and macadamia nuts, and training growers in IPM approaches, sampling and insect identification for the purpose of pest scouting. Click here for a short video on green stinkbug sampling. Training in sustainable pest management is also offered as part of a multidisciplinary project.

A Pacific Distance Diagnostics by Digital Imaging and Recommendation System is also being implemented, in an effort to enhance diagnostic and recommendation capacity for isolated islands throughout the Pacific.

I teach courses in biological control of invasive species (PEPS 422), integrated pest management (PEPS 421) and insect ecology (PEPS 671).

Recent publications (1998 - 2005): (for a comprehensive CV see http://www2.hawaii.edu/~markwrig)

1.      Wright, M.G., Hoffmann, M.P., Kuhar, T.P., Gardner, J. & Pitcher, S.A. 2005. Evaluating risks of biological control introductions: a probabilistic risk-assessment approach. Biological Control. In Press.

2.      Wright, M.G. & Diez, J.M. 2005. Coconut scale (Aspidiotus destructor: Diaspididae) seasonal occurrence, dispersion and sampling on banana in Hawai'i. The International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 25: In press.

3.      Young, C.A. & Wright, M.G. 2004. Seasonal and spatial distribution of banana aphids in banana plantations on Oahu. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. In Press.

4.      Vorsino, A., Taniguchi, G.Y. & Wright, M.G. 2004.  Opogona sacchari (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), a new pest of pineapple in Hawai'i. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. In press.

5.      Wright, M.G. 2004. Multivariate analysis of ecological data using CANOCO. The Quarterly Review of Biology (Book Review) 79: 222-223.

6.      Kuhar, T.P., Hofmann, M.P., Fleischer, S.J., Groden, E., Gardner, F., Wright, M.G. & Pitcher, S.A., Speese, J., Westgate, P. 2004. Potential of Trichogramma ostriniae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) as a biological control agent of European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in solanaceous crops. Journal of Economic Entomology 97: 1209-1216.

7.      Kuhar, T.P., Hoffmann, M.P. & Wright, M.G. 2003. Controlling European corn borer in vegetables with a parasitic wasp. Pesticide Outlook 14: 99-101.

8.      Wright, M.G. 2003. Insect pests of Proteaceae: Assessment of predictions of new pests internationally, and management implications. Acta Horticulturae 602: 167-171.

9.      Wieczorek, A.M. & Wright, M.G. 2003. PCR detection of phytoplasma from witches' broom disease on Protea spp. (Proteaceae) and associated arthropods. Acta Horticulturae 602: 161-166.

10. Anderson, P.L., Weiss, M.J.,  Hellmich, R.L., Hoffmann, M.P. & Wright, M.G. 2003. Millet preference, effects of planting date on infestation, and adult and larval use of proso millet by Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 96: 361-369.

11. Hoffmann, M.P., Wright, M.G.  Pitcher, S.A. & Gardner, J. 2002. Inoculative releases of Trichogramma ostriniae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) for suppression of Ostrinia nubilalis in sweet corn: field biology and population dynamics. Biological Control 25: 249-258.

12. Wright, M.G., Kuhar, T.K., Hoffmann, M.P. & Chenus, S.A. 2002. Effect of inoculative releases of Trichogramma ostriniae on populations of Ostrinia nubilalis and damage to sweet corn and field corn. Biological Control 23: 149-155.

13. Kuhar, T.P., Wright, M.G., Hoffmann, M.P. & Chenus, S.A. 2002. Lifetable studies of European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) with and without inoculative releases of Trichogramma ostriniae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). Environmental Entomology 31: 482-489.

14. Pitcher, S.A., Hoffmann, M.P., Gardner, J., Wright, M.G. & Kuhar, T.P. 2002. Effect of cold storage on emergence and fitness of Trichogramma ostriniae  (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) reared on Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) (Lepidopera: Gelechiidae) eggs. BioControl 47: 525-535.

15. Wright, M.G. & Hoffmann, M.P. 2002. Vegetable crop pest management (insects and mites). Encyclopaedia of Pest Management Ed: Pimental, D. Marcel Dekker Inc.

16. Wright, M.G., Hoffmann, M.P., Chenus, S.A. & Gardner, J. 2001. Dispersal behavior of Trichogramma ostriniae  (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in sweet corn fields: implications for augmentative releases against Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Biological Control. 22: 29-37.

17. Gardner, J., Hoffmann, M.P., Smith, M.E. & Wright, M.G. 2001. Influence of plant age and genotype on resistance to European corn borer in sweet corn. Maydica 46: 111-116.

18. Wright, M.G. & Samways, M.J. 2000. Biogeography and species richness of endophagous insects associated with Proteaceae in South Africa. African Journal of Ecology 38: 16-22.

19. Khan, S., Wright, M.G. & Davison, S. 2000. Polyhedrin gene sequence of a South African isolate of Helicoverpa armigera single-enveloped nuclear polyhedrovirus. South African Journal of Science 96: 584-588.

20. Khan, S., Davison, S. & Wright, M.G. 2000. Identification of an entomopathogenic bacterium that infected a colony of Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) in South Africa. African Entomology 8:141-143.

21. Wright, M.G. 1999. Integrated pest management for low-input agriculture in Africa: A review.  In John F. Devlin and Ted Zettel, eds., Ecoagriculture: Initiatives in Eastern and Southern Africa, University of Guelph & Weaver Press, Harare. pp. 149-154.

22. Wright, M.G., Khan, S. & Davison, S.1999.  South African entomopathogens as biological control agents of vegetable pests. In John F. Devlin and Ted Zettel, eds., Ecoagriculture: Initiatives in Eastern and Southern Africa, University of Guelph & Weaver Press, Harare. pp. 195-203.

23. Wright, M.G. & Samways, M.J.  1999. Plant characteristics determine insect borer assemblages on Protea species in the Cape fynbos, and importance for conservation management. Biodiversity and Conservation 8:1089-1100.

24. Visser, D., Wright, M.G., van den Berg, A. & Giliomee, J.H. 1999. Species richness of arachnids associated with Protea nitida (Proteaceae) in the Cape Fynbos. African Journal of Ecology 37: 334-343.

25. Wright, M.G. & Samways, M.J. 1998.  Insect species richness tracking plant species richness in a diverse flora:  gall insects in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. Oecologia 115: 427-433.

26. Price, P.W., Fernandes, G., Lara, A.C., Brawn, J., Gerling, D., Barrios, H., Wright, M., Ribeiro, S.P. & Rothcliff, N. 1998. Global patterns in local numbers of insect galling species. Journal of Biogeography. 25: 581-591.