The Agroecosystems Research Group (AESRG) is part of the Center for Biologically-Intensive IPM and is located on the third floor of the Heep Center on the Texas A&M University campus. AESRG provides a focus for integrating systems research for scientists from across much of Texas, and with ongoing activities involving scientists from other states (Arizona, California, Oregon) and nations (Australia, Canada, Benin, Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico). AESRG provides expertise in a range of research areas to cooperators and collaborators.  Areas of expertise include:

Ongoing projects in the AESRG include several crop and natural ecosystems. In Texas, collaborative research is currently being conducted with scientists in Beaumont (rice), College Station (fire ant, rice), Corpus Christi (cotton), Dallas (turfgrass), El Campo (rice), Fredericksburg (grapes), and Lubbock (corn, cotton, sorghum). Internationally, research includes research on coffee physiology (Brazil), and fruit tree pest management (Mexico). A major focus of AESRG is the development of joint research-extension programs, which brings together complementary expertise. Funding is largely obtained through competitive grants from local, university, state, national, and international agencies.

Grants are often written jointly between researchers in AESRG and partners from other university, state, and federal agencies, or with non-profit organizations such as the Texas Pest Management Association (TPMA). These scientists co-direct AESRG research, co-supervise all of the students in AESRG, and provide expertise which complements that which is found within AESRG. Scientists who are interested in working with AESRG or who would like to chat with us are encouraged to contact one or more of our members or collaborators.

The core membership of AESRG include fifteen scientists, encompassing formal training in agronomy, applied statistics, computer science, entomology, mathematics, plant breeding, population genetics, and population biology.  Dr. L. T. (Ted) Wilson, who coordinates projects in the AESRG lab, is a Professor of Entomology, Director of the Center for Biologically-Intensive IPM, and teaches a graduate level course entitled Advanced Principles of Agroecosystem Management.

Dr. Suna Bozkurt is the webmistress for the  AESRG  Internet site, develops interfaces for simulation models and expert system applications, and has  extensive experience  with developing  geo-referenced simulation models.   Dr. Guowei Wu  is responsible for our plant simulation research and provides general statistical expertise.  Dr. Yubin Yang is responsible for our biological control research, natural enemy-herbivore modeling, and dispersal modeling. Dr. Charles Chilcutt is responsible for our cotton precision agriculture project and our herbivore-plant injury research.

Dr. Merry Makela is involved with developing a genetically based model of fire ant individual and population dynamics, Dr. Xin Chen is responsible for coordinating our fire ant research, and parameterizing our fire ant model. Mr. Mark Mathews is responsible for the Scout  Master Cotton and Scout Master Corn database management programs. Mr. Jason Kearns is a student computer programmer and works on Scout Master Corn database management program.

Mr. James Medley is our technical support staff scientist and is responsible for our field surveys of vectors of Pierce’s disease on grapes. Mr. Omar Samonte is a Ph.D. student and studies the effect of phenotypic traits on rice cultivar performance. Mr. Yong-Lak Park is a Ph.D. student and studies the inheritance of phenotypic traits in rice. Mr. Jianming Fang is a Ph.D. student and studies population level interactions between spider mites and their generalist predators on corn, and how these interactions are affected by microclimate within the corn canopy.

Mr. Bill Sames is a Ph.D. student and studies the reproduction and longevity of two species of Anopheline mosquitoes, which are vectors of malaria. Mr. Yong Wang is a M.S. student and studies the effect of entomopathogenic microbials on the population and community dynamics of non-target turfgrass inhabiting arthropod and nematode species. Mr. Ron Weeks is a Ph.D. student and studies the biology and spatial dynamics of the imported fire ant.

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