Dr. Roland Bocco

I kept versatile professional skills as a Junior. Specialist in Biological control of Strawberry and vegetable crops with the UC Davis; a Postdoctoral Scientist in Agricultural Microbiology with the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (RDA/ South Korea); a Research Support Staff in Rice Breeding and Phenotyping for resistance to biotic and abiotic constraints using conventional and molecular breeding methods for 10 years with the AfricaRice; and a Research Support Staff for a sustainable agriculture with the Biological Control Center of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). I had the opportunity to map the risk of the spotted lanternfly in California; to manage experiments in fields, greenhouse, rainout shelter and lab; and also applied research and its extension. I trained farmers, research staff, and students. Some of my achievements include weeds, arthropods, diseases, plant characterization, plant-insect behavior, plant-endophytic fungus interaction, fungus isolation, micromorphological identification of fungi, bioassays, pest identification and water management. As a field research specialist, I have skills in soils, irrigation, crop nutrition, and integrated pest management through several collaborative projects.