Short CV of Jerry Cross
Jerry Cross is leader of the Entomology and Plant Pathology science team at East Malling Research (EMR). He leads a range of research projects on Integrated Pest Management and spray application to fruit crops as well as for overseeing the work of the other entomology and plant pathology research leaders at East Malling. Particular interests include development of sampling, assessment and forecasting methods for pests, identification and exploitation of pheromones of fruit pests, biological control by microbial agents and natural enemies of fruit pests, developing and evaluating whole Integrated Pest Management systems for fruit crops and optimising spray application methods.
Current emphasis in his research is on the identification of sex pheromones and other semiochemicals (e.g. host plant volatiles) of UK fruit pests, in collaboration with Prof David Hall, Chemical Ecology Group, Natural Resources Institute, and development of methods of exploiting them for monitoring and control. Together with Dr Angela Berrie, EMR Plant Pathologist, he has been at the forefront of developing zero residues IPM systems for fruit crops, starting a Defra-funded research programme developing zero residue methods in 1994, well before the issue came to the fore. Another recent important work area, in collaboration with Dr Peter Walklate (formerly of Silsoe Research Institute), is optimising sprayer use according to orchard structure taking account of the distribution of spray deposits and their biological efficacy. A remote sensing method (LIDAR), which utilises a scanning, pulse-modulated near infra red laser for range finding and determining interception probability with crop canopies, is being used to characterise plant structure and to produce pictographic keys to relative tree area density enabling pesticide dose rate adjustment (PACE) to suit the canopy of the particular crop being sprayed.
Jerry has served successive long terms as convenor of the Association of Applied Biologists Pesticide Application Group followed by convenor of IOBC Working Group on Integrated Plant Protection in Fruit Crops. He is a principal editor of the Journal Crop Protection. In 2007, the University of Cambridge conferred a Doctor of Philosophy by published works on him and he has recently been appointed as visiting Professor of Horticultural Entomology at the University of Greenwich, UK.
