Marys Martinez USDA Agricultural Ambassador

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Marys MartinezUSDA Agricultural Ambassador
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About Me

• Background Information
• Age 17 Born in Dominican Republic.
• Personal Interests Hobbies
• Agricultural Related programs and Internships.
  
• USDA Ag Ambassadors, Miami Dade County Ag
  Ambassadors Honors and executive internship
  with Fairchild Botanical Gardens
• Hanging out with friends and talking on the
  phone.
• Writing for fun essays, short stories
• Competing in District and State levels for FFA.

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William H. Turner Technical Arts High School
The National FFA Organization
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Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
provides leadership in ensuring the health and
care of animals and plants. The agency improves
agricultural productivity and competitiveness and
contributes to the national economy and the
public health.
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Survey for the Natural Enemies of Croton Scale in
South Florida
Gold Dust
Punctatum
Mammy
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Objective

• Determine potential natural enemies of
  croton scale existing or endemic in
  Florida.
• Identification of biological control agents
  adapted to the local environmental conditions
  will increase the management options against this
  new invasive pest in Florida and other states.

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Methodology

• survey for the natural enemies of croton scale
• conducted around Miami
• 3 survey sites
• croton plant groupings (3-5 plants per group)
• 3 varieties of croton plant
• Sample processing
• Samples were brought back to laboratory
• different stages of the scale counted
• Predation and parasitism recorded
• Identification of natural enemies
• specimens sent to taxonomist
• Feeding test
• conducted in the laboratory using feeding chamber

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Background Information Croton Scale,
unidentified species new-to-science, collected on
April 9,2008 at a nursery in Marathon (Monroe
County), Florida on a croton plant. After the
initial find, it was also found on other plants
such as guava, gumbo limbo, lignum vitae, mysore
fig, strangler fig, mango, island marlberry,
firebush, wild coffee and West Indian satin wood.
These finds suggests the economic importance of
this pest not only in Florida but in other states.
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Biological control agents of croton scale in
South Florida
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Parasitoid-HymenopteraMetaphycus(?)
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Parasitism Levels
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Predator-Coccinellidae
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Mealybug Destroyer Feeding Test
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What makes my mentors special
The coolest scientist I have ever met! Making
learning fun and interesting! Whether it was
telling jokes or showing me the difference
between male and female species!
The nicest person ever. She helped me with my
project and was always driving us from location
to location.!
Whether it was counting Red Palm Mites or
studying potatoes that have been infested with
PHM he always had a smile on his face!
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What Ive learned

• How to use a Microscope correctly.
• How to identify croton scale. male. female,
  parasitized, not parasitized
• Natural enemies of Croton scale.
• About biological control agents in South Florida
• PHM Pink Hibiscus Mealybug
• How to survey species

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My Future Goals

• Graduate High school Fall 2010
• Go on to FAMU UF on a 22 year Natural Resource
  Management Program.
• Majoring in Forestry and Minor in Agri-Business
• After Graduatingwork for the USDA Forest Service
• Soon enough, I will be a proud owner of a
  beautiful Nursery down in Homestead, FL