By Joe Kertzman, managing editor, Badger Common’Tater
When Dr. Jeffrey Wyman retired, in 2002, after many dedicated years of service in the UW-Madison Department of Entomology, Russell L. Groves filled the vacancy as an Assistant Professor and vegetable entomology Extension Specialist.
His responsibilities involved insect pest management in commercial and fresh market vegetables, including potatoes, and his prior research training focused on insects as vectors of plant diseases in fruit and nut crops.
Today, as Professor and Chairperson of the UW Department of Entomology, Dr. Groves is an invaluable WPVGA base-funded researcher and chairman of the Grower Education Planning Committee.
Respected and well-known by Wisconsin potato and vegetable growers, Groves has proven himself an invaluable and driven researcher dedicated to helping farmers control pests and diseases and reach their goals of achieving high yields and solid returns on investment.
“I’ve been a base-funded researcher since my appointment as a vegetable entomologist, now going into my 19th year [September 2006] in that position,” Groves says. “I assumed the role of statewide Extension leader for insect management in vegetables, which transfers over nicely to my base-funded research for the WPVGA.”
