B.C.'s lucrative blueberry industry will benefit from research by a Douglas College biologist, thanks to a $30,000 grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Rob McGregor, director of the Institute of Urban Ecology, will study the effectiveness of two species of aphid-feeeding insects: a brown lacewing and a predatory midge. Along with an NSRC-funded technician, the project will involve two student research assistants who will raise insects, conduct experiments and collect data.
"Our goal is to help the B.C. blueberry industry develop a sustainable approach to aphid control," McGregor stated in a press release. "Ultimately, this work could help improve the quality and safety of food products in B.C. by reducing the environmental impact of pesticides."
Douglas College's partners on the study are Applied Bio-nomics Ltd., a B.C. biological control company, and the B.C. Blueberry Council, an association representing the province's blueberry growers, including some in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.
