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Craig Abel

Craig Abel

Position
  • USDA-ARS Research Entomologist
Area of Expertise: Host Plant Resistance

Contact Info

110 Insectary
Ames
,
IA
50011
Social Media and Websites

Education

  • Ph.D., Entomology, Iowa State University, 1998
  • M.S., Entomology, Iowa State University, 1993
  • B.S., Animal Science, Iowa State University, 1987

More Information

Dr. Craig Abel is a collaborator professor of entomology at Iowa State University and a supervisory research entomologist with the USDA-ARS Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit.  His administrative duties with the USDA-ARS include supervision of a team whose mission is to improve the production of maize, soybean, barley, and minor legume crops.

Research is conducted in the following areas (i) Ecologically-based management of corn insects, (ii) Crop comparative genomics and database management (MaizeGDB, SoyBase, Legume Information System), (iii) Maize genetics and germplasm improvement, and (iv) Disease resistance signaling in cereal crops.  

Personal research areas includes (i) Host plant resistance in maize to European corn borer, corn earworm, and western bean cutworm; (ii) Bt-corn risk assessment and resistance management; and, (iii)​ Mycotoxigenic fungi/pest interactions.  

He has published 116 scientific papers, reviews and book chapters on host plant resistance, Bt-crop resistance management, mycotoxigenic fungi/pest interactions, and pollinator biology.