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Northern Research Station
11 Campus Blvd., Suite 200
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(610) 557-4017
(610) 557-4132 TTY/TDD

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Scientists & Staff

John Podgwaite

Title: Microbiologist
Unit: Genetics, Biological Control, and Management of Invasive Species
Address: Northern Research Station
51 Mill Pond Road
Hamden, CT 06514
Phone: 203-230-4325
E-mail: Contact John Podgwaite

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Current Research

Research to improve and refine in vivo production of Gypchek continues. Gypchek is the only gypsy moth-specific pesticide available for use in wide-area State and Federal cooperative suppression and eradication programs.
Research on in vitro-produced strains of gypsy moth virus that are being developed to replace the current in vivo product has intensified. In 2005, a ground-based field experiment was conducted in Delaware in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Service, RWU-4509, and university scientists. The objective was to compare the efficacy of a range of doses of high-potency viral strains produced in vivo and in vitro with the same doses of in vivo-produced Gypchek. Efficacy data obtained from this experiment have been collected and will be used to establish doses for an aerial test of in vitro-produced virus in FY-2006. An epizootiological study on how the spatial distribution of virus on foliage relates to in season transmission of disease was completed.
Research is underway with Russian colleagues in Novosibirsk to determine appropriate field doses of Gypchek for use against Asian strains of gypsy moth if they should become established in the USA.

Future Research

To continue the necessary research toward bringing a cost-effective in vitro Gypchek to the marketplace.
To develop alternatives to aerial application for introducing Gypchek into infested habitats.
To investigate the potential for developing microorganisms associated with high-risk invasive forest insects as microbial control agents.

Featured Publications

Valaitis, Algimantas P.; Podgwaite, John D. 2011. Comparative analysis of Bacillus thuringiensis toxin binding to gypsy moth, browntail moth, and douglas-fir tussock moth midgut tissue sections using fluorescence microscopy. : McManus, Katherine A; Gottschalk, Kurt W., eds. 2010. Proceedings. 21st U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency research forum on invasive species 2010; 2010 January 12-15; Annapolis, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-75. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 140.
Podgwaite, J.D.; Zerillo, R.T.; Slavicek, J.M.; Hayes-Plazolles, N. 2011. Relative potencies of gypsy moth nucleopolyhedrovirus genotypes isolated from Gypchek. In: McManus, Katherine A; Gottschalk, Kurt W., eds. 2010. Proceedings. 21st U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency research forum on invasive species 2010; 2010 January 12-15; Annapolis, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-75. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 119.
D'Amico, Vincent; Slavicek, James; Podgwaite, John; Fuester, Roger; Peiffer, Randy; Webb, Ralph. 2009. The effect of a mutation on field transmission of LdMNPV. In: McManus, Katherine A; Gottschalk, Kurt W., eds. Proceedings. 19th U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency research forum on invasive species 2008; 2008 January 8-11; Annapolis, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-36. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 16.
D'Amico, Vincent D.; Slavicek, James; Podgwaite, John; Thorpe, Kevin; Webb, Ralph; Fuester, Roger; Peiffer, Randy. 2008. An indepth look at new viral strains for use in Gypchek. In: Gottschalk, Kurt W., ed. Proceedings, 18th U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency research forum on gypsy moth and other invasive species 2007; 2007 January 9-12; Annapolis, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-28. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 16.
Podgwaite, John; Martemyanov, Viatcheslav; Bakhvalov, Stanislav. 2007. Pathogenicity of two nucleopolyhedrovirus products, Virin NSh and Gypchek, for Asian and North American gypsy moth larvae. In: Gottschalk, Kurt W., ed. Proceedings, 17th U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency research forum on gypsy moth and other invasive species 2006; Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-10. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 79.

Additional Online Publications

Bakhvalov, S.A.; Martemyanov, V.V.; Podgwaite, J.D. 2005. Comparative biological activities of two nucleopolyhedrovirus preparations: Virin NSH and Gypchek (in Russian). Euroasian Entomological Journal. 4(3): 183-186.
Webb, R.E.; White, G.B.; Podgwaite, J.D.; D'Amico, V.; Slavicek, J.; Swearingen, J.; Onken, B.; Thorpe, K.W. 2005. Comparison of aerially-applied Gypchek strains against gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) in the presence of an Entomophaga maimaiga epizootic. Journal of Entomological Science. 40(4): 446-460.
Slavicek, James; Elkinton, Joseph; Podgwaite, John. 2005. Control of the Browntail Moth in Maine with a Baculovirus. In: Gottschalk, Kurt W., ed. Proceedings, XV U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency research forum on gypsy moth and other invasive species 2004; 2004 January 13-16; Annapolis, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-332. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station: 73.
D'amico, Vincent; Podgwaite, John D.; Duke, Sara. 2004. Biological Activity of Bacillus thuringiensis and Associated Toxins against the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Journal of Entomological Science. 39(3): 318-324.
Webb, R. E.; White, G. B.; Thorpe, K. W.; Slavicek, J. M.; Podgwaite, J. D.; Fuester, R. W.; Taylor, P. B.; Peiffer, R. A.; Valenti, M. A. 2003. Evaluation of production method and formulation for optimizing in-vitro produced Gypchek. In: Fosbroke, Sandra L.C.; Gottschalk, Kurt W., eds. Proceedings, U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency research forum on gypsy moth and other invasive species 2002; 2002 January 15-18; Annapolis, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-300. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station: 102-103.
D'Amico, Vincent; Elkinton, Joseph S.; Podgwaite, John D.; Slavicek, James M.; McManus, Michael L.; Burand, John P. 1999. A field release of genetically engineered gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (LdNPV). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 73: 260-268.
Podgwaite, John D. 1999. GYPCHEK biological insecticide for the gypsy moth. Journal of Forestry. March: 16-19.
Thorpe, Kevin W.; Podgwaite, John D.; Slavicek, James M.; Webb, Ralph E. 1998. Gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) control with ground-based hydraulic applications of Gypchek, in vitro-produced virus, and Bacillus thuringiensis. Journal of Economic Entomology. 91(4): 875-880.
Slavicek, James M.; Podgwaite, John; Lanner-Herrera, Carita. 1992. Properties of two Lymantria dispar nuclear polyhedrosis virus isolates obtained from the microbial pesticide Gypchek. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 59: 142-148.
Webb, R. E.; Shapiro, M.; Podgwaite, J. D.; Cohen, D. D.; Ridgway, R. L. 1991. Evaluation of the Abington isolate of the gypsy moth nuclear polyhedrosis virus against a formulation of Gypchek in small field plots. IN: Gottschalk, Kurt W.; Twery, Mark J.; Smith, Shirley I., eds. Proceedings, U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency gypsy moth research review 1990; East Windsor, CT. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-146. Radnor, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station: 77.
Podgwaite, John D. 1991. Gypchek? use pattern realities. IN: Gottschalk, Kurt W.; Twery, Mark J.; Smith, Shirley I., eds. Proceedings, U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency gypsy moth research review 1990; East Windsor, CT. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-146. Radnor, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station: 78.
Podgwaite, J. D. 1985. Gypchek®: past and future strategies for use. In: Grimble, David G.; Lewis, Franklin B., coords. Proceedings, Symposium: Microbial control of spruce budworms and gypsy moths; 1984 April 10-12; Windsor Locks, CT. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-100. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 91-93
Podgwaite, J. D.; Galipeau, P. R. 1978. Effect of nucleopolyhedrosis virus on two avian predators of the gypsy moth. Research Note NE-251. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 2p.
Podgwaite, J.D.; Bruen, R.B. 1978. Procedures for the microbiological examination of production batch preparations of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus (Baculovirus) of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, L. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-38. Upper Darby, PA: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experimental Station. 8 p.
Lautenschlager, R.A.; Kircher, C.H.; Podgwaite, J.D. 1977. Effect of Nucleopolyhedrosis Virus on Selected Mammalian Predators of the Gypsy Moth. Res. Pap. NE-377. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Experiment Station. 6p.
Podgwaite, John D.; Cosenza, Benjamin J. 1966. Bacteria of living and dead larvae of Porthetria dispar (L.). Research Note NE-50. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 7p.

Last Modified: 02/15/2012