New U of A researcher takes hands-on approach to protecting Yuma crops

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - A new University of Arizona researcher is working to help Yuma-area growers protect their crops from destructive insects, with a focus on identifying pest threats and preventing future outbreaks.

Dr. Leonardo Salgado joined the university as an assistant professor and Extension specialist in vegetable integrated pest management on October 12.

His work focuses on managing pests that threaten the region's leafy greens, brassicas and melons.

Salgado wasted little time getting started. By his second day, he was already collecting insect trap data in the Dome, Mohawk and Yuma valleys.

His hands-on approach is driven by the importance of understanding pest problems directly in the field and developing research that benefits local growers.

"I seriously believe that if you're in the field, you can see the problems, and that way you can better understand how to deal with them," Salgado said.

Studying whiteflies and preventing crop damage

One of Salgado's priorities is addressing whiteflies, which can transmit viruses that damage melon crops.

A significant whitefly outbreak affected local melon growers earlier this year, highlighting the need for better ways to anticipate and manage pest populations.

Salgado plans to combine years of insect-trapping data from the university's Area-wide Monitoring Network with historical weather records to investigate whether milder winters could help predict larger whitefly populations in the spring.

The network includes monitoring stations at 15 locations between Tacna and San Luis, with some sites offering 10 to 15 years of historical data.

By comparing insect populations with past weather conditions, researchers hope to develop models that could help growers anticipate potential outbreaks and prepare before pests cause significant damage.

"If we have milder winters, that could help us predict if we may have a bad outbreak of whiteflies that year," Salgado said.

Research focused on local growers

Salgado's work will also examine pest populations affecting leafy greens, including where certain insects originate and whether they may be introduced through plant transplants.

His team, working with colleagues at the University of Arizona's Yuma Agricultural Center, will also evaluate a newly EPA-approved insecticide to better understand how it fits into local crop production systems and establish baseline data to monitor for potential insecticide resistance.

For Salgado, the opportunity to work directly with the agricultural community is a major motivation behind his research.

He grew up in Honduras, where his father worked as a grower before opening an agricultural supply store. That experience helped inspire Salgado to pursue a career in agriculture.

He later earned an agricultural degree in Honduras, a master's degree from Louisiana State University focusing on sugarcane and rice pests, and a doctorate in entomology from Cornell University, specializing in vegetable pest management.

Now based at the University of Arizona's Yuma Agricultural Center, Salgado plans to work closely with growers and pest control advisers to address challenges facing the region’s agricultural industry.

As the winter vegetable season gets underway, his research aims to give local growers more information to manage pests, protect crops and prepare for future outbreaks.