Matt Frye

I am a PhD student studying the response of an invasive alien vine, kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata), to different types, levels and timing of simulated herbivore damage. With limited information on how the plant responds to insect herbivory in the field, the goal of this work is to identify the characteristics of an insect herbivore that could contribute to successful biological control in the United States. My research will investigate plant response to different levels of leaf and shoot damage applied to plants in established kudzu stands, and to newly grown plants in an agricultural field. Simulations will take place during an 18-week growing season, with plants receiving early, late, or continuous biomass removal to test how timing affects plant response. These studies will be replicated in North Carolina and Delaware to test for differences in the response of kudzu at the center and edge of its invasive range.

I received my Master’s degree from the University of Delaware in 2006. My research assessed the preliminary host range of Gonioctena tredecimmaculata (Coleoptera: Chyrsomelidae), a potential biological control agent for kudzu. During no-choice quarantine studies, this insect fed on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and hog-peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata (L.) Fernald) in addition to kudzu; both plants being closely related to the target weed. A study comparing greenhouse- and field-grown kudzu and soybean demonstrated that field foliage of both plants exhibited greater leaf toughness, higher total carbon content, higher trichome density per mm2, and reduced water content compared to greenhouse foliage. Despite these differences, G. tredecimmaculata showed a similar response to all plant material, which suggests that plant growing conditions did not influence insect host-specificity. Further testing is recommended in China to determine if the insect’s actual host-range, as tested in open-field conditions, includes plants of agricultural (soybean) or aesthetic (hog-peanut) importance.

In May of 2004, I graduated from Muhlenberg College with a B.S. in biology (High Honors) and a minor in philosophy. At Muhlenberg I completed a senior thesis, which examined how proximity to a black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) tree influences the risk of herbivory for spicebush (Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume). On a personal level, I am interested in applied entomology, plant-insect interactions, and the role of native plants in the landscape.

I am originally from the town of Montrose, which is located in Westchester Country, New York. It is there that I gained a deep appreciation and love of the natural world, and where I was first introduced to both kudzu and black walnut. In my spare time you can find me outside running or biking on the trails, fishing, or enjoying some sort of physical labor!