Vermont Participatory Action Research Team (V-PART)

V-PART is a research team dedicated to using Participatory Action Research (PAR) methods to develop sustainable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies in collaboration with growers in the Northeast.

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
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Scouting Reports

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V-PART Research Updates

Explore our V-PART Research Updates for summaries of our key findings.

Vermont Pest & Disease Scouting Program

Check out our Vermont Pest & Disease Scouting Program reports

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: 

  1. Participation – Partnering with farmers and community members to co-develop research questions and methodologies. 

  2. Research – Conducting applied studies that directly address grower needs. 

  3. 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

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  • 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

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  1. 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. 

  2. 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. 

  3. Allium Pest IPM Strategies Developing sustainable pest management for onion thrips, leek moth, and allium leaf miner through scouting programs and on-farm trials. 

  4. 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

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  1. 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 

  2. 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.  

  3. 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.  

  4. 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

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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

Vic Izzo

Vic Izzo

Head of Undergraduate Education, Institute for Agroecology • Co-Director, UVM Environmental Studies Program

vizzo@uvm.edu
Scott Lewins in the Field

Scott Lewins

Entomology Extension Educator

Scott.Lewins@uvm.edu

Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Associates

Jessica Cole

Jessica Cole

Professional Academic Advisor

Laura Johnson

Laura Johnson

Pollinator Support Specialist, UVM Extension

Maryam Nouri Ainn

Maryam Nouri-Aiin

Postdoctoral Researcher, Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment

Team and Affiliates

Current Undergrad Assistants
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  • 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 

Previous Team Members
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  • 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) 

Collaborators and Affiliates
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Research Partners