ROBERT A. DUNN
dunn@ifas.ufl.edu
EDUCATION:
- B.S. 1966, Cornell University
- M.S. 1970, Cornell University
- Ph.D. 1973, Cornell University
EMPLOYMENT:
- 1986 - present, Professor, University of Florida
- 1980 - 1986, Associate Professor, University of Florida
- 1975 - 1980, Assistant Professor, University of Florida
- August 1973-December 1974 Nematologist-Entomologist for Castle and Cooke Foods
(Dole ), in Costa Rica. Studied biology of nematode and insect pests of bananas, revised pest
management programs based on research, and monitored their implementation.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Extension (70 - 90% of assigned effort):
Cooperative Extension education on biology, diagnosis, and management of plant parasitic
nematodes, with primary responsibility for turf, ornamentals, home horticulture, and agronomic
crops; oversee Florida Cooperative Extension Service Nematode Assay Laboratory.
Research (10 - 20%):
1) nematode management for turf, ornamentals, and home gardens;
2) evaluate plant germplasm, particularly forage legumes and grasses, for resistance/tolerance to
important nematode pests.
Teaching (10 - 25%):
Primary responsibility for PMA 3010, Principles of Plant Pest Management, and PMA 4570, Field
Methods in Pest Management; give guest lectures on nematode management in several
commodity-oriented courses.
PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Extension:
Florida Nematode Management Guide: revised at least annually; new chapters
prepared as appropriate. Nematology Pointers, separate pamphlets about nematodes of specific
commodities or situations, are written and updated as needed to supplement contents of the NMG.
Within limits of time, support production departments and commodity groups as requested through
publications and programs. Adaptive field research/demonstrations conducted as opportunity and need
permit.
Research: Adaptive research, mostly to evaluate
- nematicides and their application for turf
- alternatives to nematicides for use by home gardeners
- control of nematodes in field nurseries
- germ plasm of forage legumes for reactions to Meloidogyne spp. (with colleagues in Agronomy
Dept.)
Teaching:
- Faculty development (sabbatical) leave to Cornell University for Fall 1994 term to teach Plant
Pathology 706, Phytonematology, a 2-credit graduate course.
- Collaborated with Extension colleagues in Plant Pathology and Entomology & Nematology to
develop PMA 4242, Landscape Pest Management, first presented in Spring term 1996.
- PMA 4570, Field Methods in Pest Management, in summer B term
- PMA 3010, Principles of Plant Pest Management, in Spring term
- Graduate students: have supervised 4 Ph.D., 1 M.S., and 4 M. Agr. (non-thesis) programs and been
a member of advisory committees for 17 M.S., 1 M.Agr., and 7 Ph.D. programs in nematology,
agronomy, and ornamental horticulture.
International:
Worked with Pan American School of Agriculture at Zamorano, Honduras,
to strengthen their program in Nematology: helped develop teaching slide sets, improve diagnostic
laboratory services, and deliver an extension short-course. One graduate student did much of her Ph.D.
research at Zamorano. Have visited agricultural operations and/or attended scientific meetings in 10
countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. President (1994-1995) of ONTA, Organization of
Nematologists of Tropical America, with members throughout the Neotropics.
Selected Invited talks:
- Differing cultural practices for methyl bromide use. Talk
given at a symposium on methyl bromide as an agricultural fumigant at the annual meeting of the
American Chemical Society at Denver, CO, April 1, 1993.
- Turf Nematode Management. In slightly different forms, have given 1 - 3 hour talks for
USGA and other professional turf industry groups in South Carolina, Georgia, California, Texas, and
Alabama.
- Nematodes as production and regulatory pests of tropical ornamentals, in a
colloquium,"Important pathogens in tropical crops," at the annual meeting of the American
Phytopathological Society at Nashville, TN, in November 1993.
- <Nematode biology, diagnosis, and management. DowElanco Chemical Co. videotape for
use in training their sales and distributor personnel, taped Dec. 1992 for use in 1993.
- Extension nematology: objectives and methods. 2 hr. invited talk given at the Brazilian
Nematology Congress (annual meeting of Brazilian Soc. of Nematology) at Campinas, Brazil, March 7-11, 1994.
- Role of nematicides in turf nematode management. Presented at the 1995 annual meeting of
the American Phytopathological Society at Pittsburgh, PA.
- Dunn, R. A., R. N. Inserra & P. Queneherve. 1996. Problems and regulatory implications
caused by Rotylenchulus reniformis on field crops and ornamentals in Florida and Martinique.
Presented at Third International Nematology Congress, Guadeloupe, FWI, July 1996.
Grants and Contracts:
1990 - 1997, annually, ca. $7,000 - 20,000 in small commercial grants
and unrestricted gifts, and ca. $20,000 - 40,000 in client fees through the Florida Nematode Assay
Laboratory.
Career Publications:
Author/co-author of ca. 50 refereed journal articles, 2 book chapters, ca.
50 abstracts and other non-refereed journal articles, and hundreds of popular and extension publications
and revisions.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS, 1992 - PRESENT: