DR GROSS,HARRY,R., JR - CONTRIBUTIONS TO ARMYWORM RESEARCH

Dr. Harry R. Gross, Jr., USDA, ARS, IBPMRL (deceased) developed techni ques and methodology for rearing and augmenting biological control age nts to assist in the control of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiper da (J. E. Smith), and the corn earworm, Helicoverpa tea (Boddie), in t he southeastern LISA. Dr. Gross' career with the USDA spanned 27 years , during which he published 75 scientific papers and presented 41 oral papers on the results of his research. Dr. Gross conducted pioneering research on white fringed beetles, kairomones, and semiochemicals of beneficial insects, and patented a hive-mounted device through which e xiting honey bees autodisseminate Heliothis nuclear polyhedrosis virus to flowering plants for control of H. zea larvae. However, Dr. Gross' greatest contribution to entomology was his development of rearing an d augmentation technology to enhance the use of beneficial insects for controlling H. zea and S. frugiperda. Dr. Gross firmly believed in, a nd researched innovative ways to, use biological control for managing armyworms and other pests.