Services

Services provided:

 

Conference Center

Construction of the Angus J. Howitt IPM training room is now complete. The conference center has seating for 90, modern learning aids, and is now available for use.

The room was intended to provide a unique educational setting for growers and pest management decision-makers to receive hands-on IPM and pest-scout training, and present opportunities to meet with MSU researchers for in-depth discussion of current pest management topics and cutting edge research discoveries.

It was dedicated on October 30, 2002, in honor of Dr. Gus Howitt for his research and Extension contributions to the Michigan Fruit Industry during his 29 years of service at Michigan State University as Tree Fruit Entomologist and director of the Trevor Nichols Research Complex.

The new conference room is equipped with modern teaching aids, including audio/visual technical services and microscope availability. To make a reservation download the Reservations Form and contact Laura Lamb, either by phone (269-561-5040) or by e-mail lambl@msu.edu

 

Weather Data

The TNRC hosts both a NOAA weather station and is an official cooperator of the new GREEEN funded MSU Agriculture Weather network.
Visit the MSU geography web page (Fennville weather data)

TNRC degree day listing:

 

IR-4 Program

The national IR-4 program serves as the primary avenue that new reduced-risk pesticide chemistries can be registered with the EPA for minor-use crops like blueberries, grapes, peaches and cherries. The TNRC is one of the few GLP facilities in the state capable of conducting this work, and over the last five years has carried out a majority of the IR-4 residue field trials for Michigan fruit pesticides.

The demand for registering new pesticides through IR-4 has risen since the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act. Because of this legislation minor-use crops like blueberries, grapes, cherries, peaches, pears and apple, may be left with a significant shortfall in pest management tools for the future. The TNRC has implemented a strategic fruit-pest chemical-screening program in order to identify potential new pesticide candidates for IR-4 as quickly and efficiently as possible. The ability of the Michigan fruit industry to make this difficult transition will be significantly affected by the swiftness at which we can identify, develop and register effective pest management alternatives. 

 

MSU Plant and Pest Diagnostics Directory

Room 109E, Center for Integrated Plant Systems
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 49924
(517) 355-4536, (517) 432-0899 fax, pestid@msu.edu
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Please visit the Michigan State University Plant & Diagnostics Website for more information on services provided.

 

Diagnosticians

ERIN HILL, PH.D.
Weed Science Diagnostician
hiller12@msu.edu
517-432-9693

JAN BYRNE, PH.D.
Plant Pathology Diagnostician
byrnejm@msu.edu
517-355-3504

LAURA MILES, M.S.
Molecular Detection and Diagnostics
lmiles@msu.edu
517-353-2675

ANGELA TENNEY, M.S.
Nematode Diagnostician
millera3@msu.edu
517-353-8563

 

Dormitory Availability

The TNRC dormitory has a total of six rooms. This includes 4 downstairs rooms, each with bunk beds, and two upstairs rooms with queen-sized beds.

Please contact Laura Lamb at 269-561-5040 with as much notice as possible concerning the days you would like to stay. Upon arrival at TNRC, clean sheets and towels will be folded on the bed. After your stay, please remove sheets from bed and place in the laundry room. In addition, please replace your sheets and towels with clean folded sets, which can be found in the linen closet at the end of the downstairs hall. If you are planning on staying over a weekend, the station coordinator John Wise (wisejohn@msu.edu) or the farm manager Kyle Coffindaffer (coffinda@msu.edu) need to be notified.