Suzanne Blatt, Ph. D.

Image Suzanne Blatt
Research Scientist - Integrated Pest Management/Entomology

My research program is committed to the improvement or development of pest management tools that will benefit Canadian producers of tree fruits and vegetables. Pest management tools can include biological control agents, improved traps for more efficient monitoring, sterile insect release and use of host chemical cues for mass trapping. Invasive species, such as brown marmorated stink bug and leek moth, are part of our basic monitoring program.  As new pest issues arise we work closely with Perennia and industry partners to ensure that our research is relevant to producers and grounded in science.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Kentville Research and Development Centre

Current research and/or projects

Current research projects:

1. Studying the impact of root maggots on crucifers. Seeking to understand which one (or two or three) of the species present in Nova Scotia is causing damage in rutabaga, radish and broccoli production.

2. Investigating the use of alternative products, e.g. biopesticides, to control apple maggot.

3. Developing degree day models for apple leaf curling midge that are effective in all apple producing regions of Canada.

Education and awards

B.Sc. (Agr.) Plant Protection, Dalhousie University (Nova Scotia Agricultural College), 1992

Ph.D. (Biology), Simon Fraser University, 1997

M.Sc. (Chemistry), Acadia University, 2011

International experience and/or work

I was awarded a post-doctoral position at Wageningen University from May 2004 - August 2005. I studied the tri-trophic interaction between a pest species (cabbage butterfly) feeding on wild mustard and its parasitoid. I also teamed up with researchers from the University of Switzerland to study the heritability of herbivore induced volatiles in white mustard. 

Key publications

  1. Blatt, S. 2020. Video 9 – Leaf rolling and leaf curling – catching the culprits. NSFGA Virtual Orchard Tour, August

    2020 - View publication details

  2. Blatt, S., Joseph, D.A., Cutler, G.C., Olson, A.R., White, S. (2020). Degree-day models to predict carrot weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) emergence and oviposition in Nova Scotia, Canada. The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 152(3), 374-388. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2020.19

    2020 - View publication details

  3. Cossentine, J.E., Brauner, A.M., Franklin, J.L., Robertson, M.C., Buhl, P.N., Blatt, S., Gariepy, T.D., Fraser, H., Appleby, M., Grigg-McGuffin, K., Mason, P.G. (2020). Parasitism and phenology of Dasineura mali (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in Canadian apple (Rosaceae) orchards. The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 152(3), 355-373. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2020.15

    2020 - View publication details

  4. Autio, W, Robinson, T, Blatt, S, Cochran, D, Francescato, P, Hoover, E, Kushad, M, Lang, G, Lordan, J, Miller, D, Minas, I, Parra Quezada, R, Stasiak, M and Xu, H. 2020. Budagovsky, Geneva, Pillnitz and Malling apple rootstocks affect ‘Honeycrisp’ performance over eight years in the 2010 NC-140 ‘Honeycrisp’ apple rootstock trial. Journal of the American Pomological Society 74: 182-195.

    2020 - View publication details

  5. Blatt, S, DeLong, J, Abbasi, P and Burgher-MacLellan, K. 2020. Research update: insects, diseases and storage. Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Annual Convention, Greenwich, NS, January

    2020 - View publication details

  6. Blatt, S. 2019. Apple pest research and pest pressure – affect by climate change? Apple Information Exchange, Charlottetown, PEI, November
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    2019 - View publication details

  7. Blatt, S. 2019. Annual Report for NC-140 Committee Meeting, Geneva, New York, November

    2019 - View publication details

  8. Harris, E, Hillier, NK, and Blatt, S. 2019. Abundance versus precision: an oviposition analysis of Delia radicum and Delia platura on crucifer crops in Nova Scotia. Joint Annual Meeting of the ESC/CSEE and AES, Fredericton, August.

    2019 - View publication details

  9. Blatt, S, Peill, M and Gillis-Madden, R. 2019. Occurrence of leek moth in Nova Scotia. Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society 15: 24-26.

    2019 - View publication details

  10. Blatt, S., Bishop, C., Burgher-Maclellan, K. (2019). Incidence of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae) in Nova Scotia, Canada Christmas tree (Pinaceae) plantations. The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 151(3), 350-364. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2019.2

    2019 - View publication details

  11. Bykova, O and Blatt, SE. 2019. Inclusion of physiological responses in insect pest risk analysis: Evaluating species potential to achieve pest status. Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society 15: 1-13.

    2019 - View publication details

  12. Blatt, S, Ryan, A, Adams, S, Hiltz, K and Driscoll, J. 2019. CRF on PEI: then and now. PEI Horticultural Association Annual General Meeting, March

    2019 - View publication details

  13. Blatt, SE and Mlynarek, J. 2018. Entomopathogenic nematodes for carrot weevil control. 2018 Pest Management Research Report #08: 19-21.

    2019 - View publication details

  14. Blatt, S, DeLong, J, Abbasi, P and Burgher-MacLellan, K. 2019. CHC apple cluster and CAP program results and updates: what happened and what’s going on? Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Annual Convention, Greenwich, NS, January

    2019 - View publication details

  15. Blatt, S. 2018. Annual Report for NC-140 Committee Meeting, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, November

    2018 - View publication details

  16. Blatt, S, Ryan, A, Adams, S, Hiltz, K, McDonald, MR and Driscoll, J. 2018. CRF: Highlights from the Eastern provinces. Quebec fruit and vegetable producers meeting, St. Remi, Quebec, December

    2018 - View publication details

  17. Mlynarek, JJ, Sim, K, Hiltz, K, McDonald, MR and Blatt, S. 2018. Who likes onions? Distribution and feeding preference in Eastern Canadian onion. Joint Annual Meeting of the ESC/ESBC and ESA, Vancouver, November.

    2018 - View publication details

  18. Silver, N., Hillier, K., Blatt, S. (2018). Management of Delia (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) through selectively timed planting of Phaseolus vulgaris (Fabaceae) in Atlantic Canada. The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 150(5), 663-674. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2018.36

    2018 - View publication details

  19. Blatt, S. 2018. Spring bugs on apple. Scotian Gold apple producers morning meeting. Coldbrook, Nova Scotia, May

    2018 - View publication details

  20. Bykova, O., Blatt, S. (2018). Effect of Soil Type on Carrot Weevil Movement Behavior, 31(3), 321-333. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10905-018-9681-1

    2018 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Kentville Research and Development Centre
32 Main Street
Kentville, NS B4N 1J5
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Ecology›Insect
Agriculture›Insect-plant interactions›Host plant resistance
Agriculture›Pest management›Biological control of agricultural pests
Agriculture›Pest management›Invasive insect pests

Affiliations

I am affiliated with Acadia Univeristy and Dalhousie University and co-supervise graduate and Honors students. I am a member of the Entomological Society of Canada, the Acadian Entomological Society and the International Society for Biological Control.

Language

English