V-PART is a transdisciplinary research team that integrates grower input into all phases of the research process using PAR. Co-founded by Dr. Victor Izzo and Scott Lewins in 2014, V-PART focuses on developing IPM strategies for organic growers in the Northeast, fostering sustainable pest management practices. Our team collaborates with farmers, researchers, and community members to create research-driven solutions that directly impact sustainable agriculture.
Field Updates
Field Updates
This section is updated sporadically. Check back regularly!
4.28.25: Our undergrad summer research assistant, Jill White, has been awarded a Food - Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) via ARS. Jill is a rising junior - dual major - Geography and Environmental Studies. Her project looks to explore the efficacy of combining mass trapping and trap cropping for the management of striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittatum in organic systems. She'll be conducting the project at HREC!
Learn More About Our Work
Overview
For over 10 years, V-PART has worked with growers, gardeners, and researchers across the Northeast, using a participatory research framework that values collaboration, scientific rigor, and actionable results. Our work is built upon three core principles:
Participation – Partnering with farmers and community members to co-develop research questions and methodologies.
Research – Conducting applied studies that directly address grower needs.
Action – Implementing and sharing research findings to foster tangible improvements in agricultural practices.
By centering grower input in our research, we ensure that our work is relevant, practical, and impactful for sustainable pest management.
Key Research Areas
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for organic farms
Sustainable insect and disease management strategies
The role of entomopathogenic fungi in pest control
Ecological interactions in agricultural landscapes
Collaborative research methods using Participatory Action Research (PAR)
Current Research Projects
Delayed Potato Planting for Pest Management Evaluating delayed planting as a strategy to reduce Colorado Potato Beetle pressure and mitigate pesticide resistance, while assessing impacts on yield and pest dynamics.
Biological & RNAi Strategies for Root Crop Pests Exploring entomopathogenic fungi (Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae) and RNAi technologies for sustainable management of wireworms and Colorado Potato Beetles.
Allium Pest IPM Strategies Developing sustainable pest management for onion thrips, leek moth, and allium leaf miner through scouting programs and on-farm trials.
Vermont Pest & Disease Scouting Program A statewide initiative in collaboration with VVBGA to provide Vermont-specific data on pest and disease trends, helping farmers make informed management decisions.
Past Research Projects
Pre and Post-Harvest Strategies for Leek Moth Control Investigated the release of parasitoid wasps and adaptive curing practices to reduce leek moth impact on yellow storage onions. Read the 2020 Leek Moth Research Update here
Field Assessment of a Novel Behavioral Disruptor for Spotted Wing Drosophila Tested a biodegradable, food-grade behavioral disruptor to manage Spotted Wing Drosophila in berry crops, collaborating with farm partners to refine protocols.
Cover Crop Assessment for Wireworm Management Evaluated the impact of oat and winter rye cover crops on wireworm pressure across multiple farms, assessing their effects on pest populations.
Parasitoid Wasp Field Trials for Leek Moth Control Conducted participatory trials testing Trichogramma brassicae wasps as a biological control method for leek moth in onion crops.
Recent Publications
Izzo, V.M., Lewins, S.A. and Nouri-Aiin, M., 2025. On-farm evaluation of swede midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) susceptibility among popular kale varieties. Journal of Economic Entomology, p.toae304. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae304
Brevik, K., Schoville, S.D., Muszewska, A., Pélissié, B., Cohen, Z., Izzo, V. and Chen, Y.H., 2023. Transposable elements differ between geographic populations of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Environmental Entomology, 52(6), pp.1162-1171. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvad105
Kinnebrew, E., Izzo, V.M., Neher, D.A., Ricketts, T.H., Wallin, K.F. and Galford, G.L., 2023. Differing short-term impacts of agricultural tarping on soil-dwelling and surface-active arthropods. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 353, p.108542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2023.108542
Soper, R., Maughan, C.J., Horner, C.E., Horner, C.E., Morse, C., Carpenter, N., Nordstrom, K.L., Faulkner, J.W., Mares, T., Kinnebrew, E. and Caswell, M., 2023. VT, United States, University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, VT, United States 8 Edited by: Molly D. Anderson, Middlebury College, United States Reviewed by. Critical and Equity-Oriented Pedagogical Innovations in Sustainable Food Systems Education, p.51. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.751115
Kinnebrew, E., Molander, C.K., Wilcox Warren, S., Horner, C.E., Izzo, V.M., Lewins, S.A., Maden, R., Galford, G.L. and Méndez, V.E., 2023. Tradeoffs of a rising agroecological practice: addressing uncertainty around tarping with participatory action research and mixed methods. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 47(3), pp.355-381. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2022.2146254
Leadership Team
Senior Lecturer • Director and Co-Founder, Vermont Entomology and Participatory Action Research Team (VEPART) • Co-Director, Environmental Studies Program • Head of Undergraduate Education, Institute for Agroecology
vizzo@uvm.edu
Postdoctoral Researcher, Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment
maryam.nouri-aiin@uvm.eduGraduate Students and Postdoctoral Associates
Professional Advisor
Pollinator Support Specialist, UVM Extension
Postdoctoral Researcher, Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment
Team and Affiliates
Current Undergrad Assistants
Kit Eller (2023-present) Major: Agroecology
Ollie Leibovich (2024-present) Major: Environmental science (concentration in environmental bio), Russian, and political science with a minor in Zoology | Minor: Russian
- Jill White: Food - Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) via ARS. Jill is a rising junior - dual major - Geography and Environmental Studies. Her project looks to explore the efficacy of combining mass trapping and trap cropping for the management of striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittatum in organic systems. She'll be conducting the project at HREC!
Previous Team Members
Erica Hoover (2022-2024)
Katarina Menice (2022-2023)
Julian Wise (Field Technician, summer 2024)
Zack Watson-Stevens (Ax Fellow, 2024)
Maya Lis (Ax Fellow, 2024)
Ava Toomey-Cordeiro (Ax Fellow, 2023)
Katie Monacella (Ax Fellow, 2023)