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ARS Home Office of International Research Engagement and Cooperation France and Greece EBCL





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- Robert G. Shatters, Jr.
- Marie-Claude Bon
- Alexandra Chaskopoulou
- Gaylord Desurmont
- Javid Kashefi
- René Sforza
- Mélanie Tannières
- Maia Tsikolia
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René F.H. Sforza Research Entomologistrsforza@ars-ebcl.org
 Research Projects and Topics Topics Classical biocontrol of weeds and insect pests using arthropods and pathogens as specific agents;
Foreign exploration for the discovery of biological control agents;
Host specificity testing and evaluating ecological interactions;
Phylogeography of invasive targets. Projects Current projects on weeds and their potential biocontrol candidates when known:
Tree of heaven (*Ailanthus altissima*, Simaroubaceae) and the eriophyid mite*Aculus taihanganensis*, b. Stinkwort (*Dittrichia graveolens*, Inulaceae),
Swallow worts (*Vincetoxicum rossicum*and*V. nigrum*- Asclepiadaceae) and the Chrysomelid beetle*Chrysochus asclepiadeus*,
Sahara mustard (*Brassica tournefortii*, Brassicaceae),
Medusahead (*Taeniatherum caput-medusae*- Poaceae), African wiregrass (*Ventenata dubia*Poaceae),
French broom (*Genista monspessulana*- Fabaceae) and the psyllid*Arytinnis hakani*and the weevil*Lepidapion argentatum*.
Current project on an insect pest:
Bagrada bug (Bagrada hilaris - Pentatomidae) and the scelionid wasp,*Gryon aetherium*. Publications René Sfoza's publications Teaching experience Pluri-annual courses in Biological control and insect diversity at Supagro, Montpellier, and the University of Montpellier Reviewer for: Acarologia; Agronomy; Annals of Applied Biology; BioControl; Biocontrol, Science & Technology; Biological Control; Entomologia Generalis; Journal of Chemical Ecology; Insects; Microbiology; Scientific reports; South African Journal of Phytopathology; World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. Degrees 2017: Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches, University of Montpellier, France. Une approche pluri-disciplinaire de la protection des cultures et des écosystèmes par le biocontrôle classique. 1998: Ph.D. Thesis in Entomology and Plant pathology, University of Paris VI, France entitled "Epidemiology of the Bois noir disease of grapevine: search for insect vectors and biology of*Hyalesthes obsoletus*Sign. (Hemiptera: Cixiidae); spread and management" 1993: Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies of Invertebrate Ecophysiology (equiv. to a M. Sc. Degree), University of Paris VI, France. Work Experience 2000 - present: Research Entomologist at USDA-ARS-European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL), Montpellier, France. 1999: Postdoc position at INRA - Lab. Vigne et Vin (Colmar) & Lab. Phytoparasitologie (Dijon) "Grapevine leafroll epidemiology: Search for natural scale insect vectors (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) and strategies in biological control, RT-PCR detection of closteroviruses in plants and insects." 1994-98: Ph.D. Thesis at INRA's Phytoplasma Laboratory in Dijon, France. Contract with the Rhone valley's viticultural organisations.


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