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Rick Brandenburg

Wm. Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor

Commercial Turf and Peanuts

3301 Gardner Hall Box 7613, NCSU, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613

919.515.8876

The peanut/turf research and extension program has focused on cost effective pest management programming. This has been through the development of risk indices to aid in decision making, the development of an enhanced understanding of pest biology, ecology and behavior to allow for the most efficacious use of control agents and the delivery of educational programs via meetings, conferences and the internet. Recent emphasis has been toward turfgrass pest management and all current graduate students are focused in that area. Past graduates with an emphasis on turfgrass have found no shortage of employment opportunities and students currently being recruited are primarily interested in the turf component of my program. Graduate students in my program have won at least 9 state, national, or international awards and two fellowships within the past five years.

Research:

RESEARCH (26%) The research and education program has focused on the ecology of mole crickets and management strategies for green June beetle grubs, a proactive pheromone monitoring and degree day forecast for Oriental beetles (which recently invaded western North Carolina),, southern chinch bugs, ground pearls, as well as Japanese and southern masked chafer grubs, and more recently on imported fire ants. Dr. Brandenburg teaches the warm season turfgrass insect management seminar for the Golf Course Superintendents of America Assoc. Peanut research emphasizes cost effective management of southern corn rootworms, host plant resistance, and use of cultural practices to manage tomato spotted wilt virus. Dr. Brandenburg has collaborated with Drs. Yelverton and Rufty, from the Department of Crop Science at NC State University to develop the Turfgrass Environmental Research and Education Center. Dr. Brandenburg is the Co-director of the Center along with Dr. Tom Rufty. The Center receives more than $600,000 in annual recurring contributions to fund turfgrass research and education programs at NC State University.

Teaching:

Dr. Brandenburg also co-teaches ENT/CS/PP 495T – Advanced Turfgrass Pest Management as well as ENT801M – Extension Entomology

Extension:

EXTENSION (74%) Research for the past 12 years has focused on the development of effective management strategies for insect and mite pests of turf and peanuts. Evaluation of new control strategies including predictive modeling, pheromone traps, cultural practices, agroecosystem modifications, and biological control. Additional studies include the evaluation of new application technology, soil insect behavior, and biorational insect management strategies.

Dr. Brandenburg is the Coordinator for USAID Peanut CRSP in West Africa.

Dr Brandenburg’s turf article in  CALS Perspective Magazine – Spring 2002

Dr. Brandenburg’s work in Ghana-

Extension Online
CALS Perspectives  2008
CALS Perspectives 2010

 

Turf Links

Peanut Links

Education

BS, Purdue University (1977)
Ph.D, North Carolina State University (1981)