Dr. Roselyne M. Labbé

Research Scientist - Greenhouse Entomology

Study the biology of new and emerging arthropod pests and biological control agents.
Discover and study natural enemies native to North America.
Examine intraguild interactions in greenhouse biological control.
Use molecular tools to study arthropod identity, organismal interactions, insect physiology and resistance.
Development of greenhouse biological control and integrated pest management programmes.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

2585 County Rd 20, Harrow, Ontario

Current research and/or projects

Labbé, R. (PI) & Mlynarek, J. (Co-PI) Industry-led Research and Development to Canadian Horticulture Council/ Biological Control of Tuta absoluta/ 2018-2022.
Donly, C. (PI), Scott, I. (Co-PI) et al., (Labbé, R, Co-Applicant) AAFC A-base/ RNAi Trap Plants for Horticulture/ 2018-2022.
MacKinnon, S (PI) & Marchand, G (Co-PI) et al., (Labbé, R, Co-Applicant)/ AAFC A-base/ Nutrient-rich plants for Northern Agriculture/ 2018-2021.
Theilmann, D (PI) & Labbé, R. (Co-PI) et al., / AAFC A-base/ New Biologicals for Control of Insects/ 2018-2021.
Labbé, R. (PI)/ Industry-led Research and Development Canadian Horticulture Council/ Pepper Weevil Integrated Management/ 2018-2022.
Steeves, S. (PI) et al., (Labbé, R. Team Member)/ International-Israel-Horticulture - AAFC/ Effect of Light Spectral Quality for Vertical Agriculture Pest Management and for Prevention of Fungal Diseases/ 2017-2018.
Gariepy, T. (PI), Mason, P. (Co-PI) et al., (Labbé, R. Co-Applicant)/ AAFC A-base/ Biological Control of Agricultural Pests/ 2016-2019.
Hao, X. (PI) & Cao, R. (Co-PI) et al., (Labbé, R, Co-Applicant) / AAFC A-base/ Integrated production and IPM systems/ 2016-2019.
Donly, C (PI) et al., (Labbé, R, Co-Applicant) / AAFC A-base/ New tools for greenhouse IPM/ 2016-2019.

Research and/or project statements

The greenhouse entomology team at the Harrow Research and Development Centre focuses on the development of biological control and integrated pest management programs for the Canadian greenhouse horticultural industry.
Our work entails the discovery and validation of novel biological control and reduced risk agents used to suppress pests of greenhouse crops, as well as the development of new tools and technologies to improve pest management.
This research program has as its ultimate goal to contribute to optimizing the competitiveness and sustainability of Canada's greenhouse vegetable production sector.

Professional activities / interests

Member of the International Organization of Biological Control.
Member of the Entomological Society of Canada.
Member of the Entomological Society of Ontario.
Member of the Entomological Society of America.
Organizing Committee Member of the Ontario Pest Management Conference.

Education and awards

PhD, Molecular Entomology (2005-2010), Western University & Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London, ON, Canada.
Master of Science, Entomology - Biological Control (2002-2005), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
Honours Bachelor of Science, Biology (1998-2002), Western University, London, ON, Canada.

International experience and/or work

Post-Doctoral Fellow (2013 - 2014), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. United States.

Key publications

Labbe, R. 2023. Epizootiology and management of arthropod pest invasions in vertical farms. Vertical Farmers of Ontario Meeting and Workshop. Harrow RDC, AAFC. March 28 2023.
2023 - View publication details
Labbe. R. Developing tools for the sustainable management of greenhouse pests. Harrow RDC Seminar Series, February 23, 2023
2023 - View publication details
Demers, C., VanLaerhoven, S., Des Marteaux, L, and Labbe, R. 2023. Bug-eat-bug World: Assessing Canadian mirids for the control of greenhouse pests on tomato (Hemiptera: Miridae). Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Poster Presentation, February 22-23, 2023.
2023 - View publication details
Desloges Baril, P., Des Marteaux, L., Labbé, R., and VanLaerhoven, S. 2022. Developing native predatory mirids as novel biocontrol agents for tomato pests in Canada. (Joint Meeting of the Entomological Societies of America, Canada, and British Columbia – Vancouver, Canada)
2022 - View publication details
Labbe, R., Des Marteaux, L., Desloges-Baril, P., Fernandez, D.C., LaFlair, A., Demers, C., VanLaerhoven, S., and Mlynarek, J. 2022. Greenhouse biological control : survey and development of new predatory agents. (Poster Presentation - Joint Meeting of the Entomological Societies of America, Canada, and British Columbia – Vancouver, Canada)
2022 - View publication details
Basso, J., Labbe, R. and Scott-Dupree, C. 2022. The sterile insect technique as a novel tool for control of pepper weevil (Anthonomus eugenii Cano) in greenhouse and field pepper crops. Entomological Society of America, Rising Stars of Entomology Award and Symposium. November 2022.
2022 - View publication details
Labbe, R. 2022. How extratrophic inputs modify greenhouse biocontrol dynamics. Invited Plenary Speaker. Réunion annuelle de la Société d’Entomologie du Québec. October 27-28. Granby, QC.
2022 - View publication details
Demers, C., VanLaerhoven, S., and Labbe, R. 2022. Examining two Dicyphus species (Hemiptera: Miridae) for their potential use as biological control agents on greenhouse tomato. Canadian Greenhouse Conference, Presentation, October 6, 2022.
2022 - View publication details
Labbe, R., Fernandez, D.C., Des Marteaux, L., LaFlair, A., Desloges-Baril, P., Demers, C., VanLaerhoven, S., and Mlynarek, J. The Bug Hunters : Developing new and native biocontrol agents for the Canadian Greenhouse. Canadian Greenhouse Conference, Invited Presentation, October 6, 2022.
2022 - View publication details
Basso, J., Labbe, R. and Scott-Dupree, C. 2022. The sterile insect technique: A novel tool for control of pepper weevil in greenhouse pepper crops. Entomological Society of Ontario Virtual Lighting Talks, September 22-23, 2022.
2022 - View publication details
Demers. C., VanLaerhoven, S., Des Marteaux, L. and Labbe R. 2022. Assessing native omnivorous predators (Hemiptera: Miridae) for their potential use as biological control agents of greenhouse tomato pests. Entomological Society of Ontario Virtual Poster, September 22-23, 2022.
2022 - View publication details
Desloges Baril, P., Des Marteaux, L., Labbé, R., and VanLaerhoven, S. 2021. Tomato defenders: evaluating two native predatory Dicyphus species as novel biocontrol agents on tomato crops. (Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Convention, Niagara Falls, Canada)
2022 - View publication details
Labbe, R., Longpre, F., Des Marteaux, L., Leo, S., Desloges-Baril, P., Basso, J., Laflair, A. Van Laerhoven, S., and Scott-Dupree, C. 2022. Greenhouse Entomology Research Update. Harrow RDC Virtual Open House Presentation. February 23, 2022.
2022 - View publication details
Leo, S. Scott-Dupree, C., and Labbe, R. 2022. Putting Pressure on a Pepper Pest: How Jaliscoa hunteri can suppress the pepper weevil. Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention (Niagara Falls) Poster presentation February 23 2022
2022 - View publication details
Basso, J., Labbe, R. and Scott-Dupree, C. 2022. The sterile insect technique: A novel tool for control of pepper weevil in greenhouse pepper crops. Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention (Niagara Falls) Poster presentation February 23 2022
2022 - View publication details
Fernandez, D. C., VanLaerhoven, S., Sinclair, B. and Labbé, R. 2021. Cold tolerance of the pepper weevil (Anthonomus eugenii). Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention. (Virtual Poster Presentation)
2022 - View publication details
Gallant B, Blatt S, Douglas HB, Labbe R, Makela K. 2021. How you can help protect Canada’s plant resources: report a plant pest. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Canada, 53: #-#.
2021 - View publication details
Leo, S., Scott-Dupree, C., Fernandez, C., Gagnier, D., Rizzato, R. and Labbé, R. 2021. Evaluating the parasitoid Jaliscoa hunteri as a biological control agent for the pepper weevil (Anthonomus eugenii) on greenhouse pepper crops. Entomological Society of Canada Joint Annual Meeting. November 17, 2021. (Virtual Presentation)
2021 - View publication details
Basso, J., Labbé, R. and Scott-Dupree, C. 2021. Potential new tool for pepper weevil management in Ontario greenhouses: Sterile Insect Technique. Entomological Society of Canada Joint Annual Meeting. November 17, 2021. (Virtual Presentation)
2021 - View publication details
Desloges Baril, P., Des Marteaux, L., and VanLaerhoven, S. 2021. Exploring native predatory hemipteran species. (Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada and Entomological Society of Ontario – Virtual)
2021 - View publication details