ISRC affiliate Matt O'Neal is a professor of plant pathology, entomology and microbiology at Iowa State University, where he oversees research related to the management of insect pests of annual crops, with a focus on soybeans. His goal is to develop economically and environmentally sustainable pest management programs by exploring the ecology of pests with their host plant and natural enemies.

O’Neal’s research has contributed to the management of soybean aphids in Iowa and the Midwest. He is also exploring how conservation methods may improve the abundance and diversity of beneficial insects that contribute to aphid mortality and crop pollination. He has published more than 90 scientific papers, reviews and book chapters on insect pest management and ecology. He teaches two entomology classes and a graduate level course in Sustainable Agriculture.

Originally from Quincy, IL, O’Neal graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS in biology, after which he joined the Peace Corps, which is what would lead him to entomology. To ensure his acceptance, he wanted to develop a life skill to share and he connected with an entomologist at the University of Illinois who studied honeybees and taught O’Neal some beekeeping skills. While in the Peace Corps, O’Neal saw the impact of insect pests on the corn and sorghum crops grown in rural Ghana. Upon returning to the US, he pursued an MS in entomology at the University of Illinois, with a focus on the insect pests that attack corn and soybeans, and he would go on to earn a PhD in entomology at Michigan State University.

“Joining ISU and working with the ISRC has placed me and my students at the center of the soybean world. There are a remarkable number of resources here that allow us to explore innovative ways to produce soybeans. I’m constantly surprised by the work that the other faculty and students at ISU are conducting, and their willingness to collaborate,” said O’Neal.

O’Neal said the research being conducted in his lab goes beyond just managing pests. “By collaborating with other scientists at ISU, we are exploring how to conserve beneficial insects that can contribute to crop production, which has led to some remarkable discoveries. We have found that adding a little bit of conservation into farmland can improve honeybee productivity. Based on nearly a decade of data, our current hypothesis is that honeybees in the Midwest use soybeans for the summer honey crop. This honey production is increased if even a small amount of prairie is present. We are now looking at whether this practice works for more commercial scale beekeeping. It’s exciting to consider how agriculture and conservation can complement each other, said O’Neal.”

Currently, O’Neal’s lab is working on a variety of projects that directly and indirectly affect soybean production. During the summer of 2022, he tested some novel traps and pheromones for tracking stinkbugs in soybean fields. His team is also working with USDA geneticists to develop molecular-based tools to detect and manage insecticide-resistant aphids.

Also worth noting is a summer podcast that he and fellow entomologist Erin Hodgson co-host called the Soybean Pest Podcast. They created the podcast to promote pest management concepts and to provide updates on invasive pests, regulatory news and new research relative to insects in agriculture.