As CDFA’s primary scientist in the field of biological control, Dr. David Morgan has had a hand in many projects over the years. He came to CDFA from “across the pond,” a few years after arriving on our shores in the mid-90s as a postdoctoral researcher at UC Riverside having just completed his studies at Imperial College (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) in Great Britain.
Long before he became “Dr. Morgan,” though, he was already what we affectionately call an “aggie.” He fondly recalls growing up on his father’s farm in England, where “pest problems moved very slowly” – especially compared to the pace of commercial agriculture as he encountered it upon his arrival in California.
Initially, his focus at CDFA was on monitoring invasive insect pests, and searching for and evaluating their natural enemies. But the majority of his work has involved the development of large-scale insect rearing systems.
“Classical biological control, where beneficial insects are used as a stand-alone pest control strategy, has a magnificent history in California, but biocontrol as a component of Sustainable Pest Management has really come to the forefront during my career, especially in California,” Dr. Morgan reflects. “All told, we’ve released more than 35 million beneficial insects. I am particularly proud of our management of the whole biological control process, from selection to production, release, and post-release monitoring of biocontrol agents to optimize their use in pest management.”
Congratulations on your retirement, Dr. Morgan!