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Ash Sial

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Ash Sial

Dr. Ash Sial is Professor of Entomology at the University of Georgia. He received his B.S. from University of Arid Agriculture Rawalpindi (Pakistan), M.S. from University of Greenwich (United Kingdom), and Ph.D. Entomology from Washington State University (United States of America). Dr. Sial worked as a postdoctoral research associate at University of California Berkeley and Cornell University before accepting a faculty position at the University of Georgia. At UGA, he holds research, extension, teaching, and service appointment in department of entomology and also serves as IPM Coordinator for the state of Georgia. His research program seeks to investigate biology and ecology of economically important insect pests and utilize that information to develop more sustainable IPM programs in small fruits. In his current role as a fruit entomologist, he works closely with blueberry growers throughout the state of Georgia to determine their pest management needs and help them develop and implement environmentally sustainable and economically viable IPM programs. His research program has successfully secured over $32.1 million in competitive grants through federal and state agencies as well as private industry. He has authored over 200 research and extension publications, over 276 presentations including 43 invited seminars, 13 webinars, and 3 keynote addresses, created several educational materials including blogs, websites, and smartphone apps, and organized 21 symposia at the national and international conferences. His research program has been highlighted multiple times in print and broadcast media including national radio and television. He has extensive record of serving professional organizations in a leadership role at the regional, national and international level. Dr. Sial has served on the Entomological Society of America (ESA) Student Affairs Committee (Chair – 2010), the ESA Program Committee (2010), ESA Committee on Early Career Professionals (2013-15), ESA Pacific Branch (Program Chair – 2013) and Southeastern Branch (Program Chair – 2017), UGA Department of Entomology Seminar Committee (2015 – 2019), Southern Region Technical Committee on IPM (Chair – 2015-16 and 2021-22), Sponsorship Committee for International Congress of Entomology (2016), and Program Committee for the 9th and 10th International IPM Symposium (2018, 2022, 2025). Dr. Sial has received 39 awards for excellence in research, extension, and teaching, as well as professional leadership and service at regional and national level including WSU President’s Award 2009, John Henry Comstock Award 2010, Future Leader in IPM 2016, ESA-SEB Excellence in Early Career Award 2019, IPM Team Award 2019, ESA Science Policy Fellow 2021, ESA-SEB Distinguished Achievement Award in Horticultural Entomology 2023, and ESA P-IE IPM Team Award 2023.

  • Current Season Winter Chilling: What’s Going On ???

    Ash Sial

    By: Scott NeSmith Dept. of Horticulture 1109 Experiment Street Griffin, GA 30223 Old man winter has been slow to visit the Southeast this season, and we desperately need winter cold to stimulate suitable bloom and leaf bud development of blueberries in the upcoming spring. While many of our friends to the North are typically concerned…

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  • Monitoring and Management of Blueberry Gall Midge

    Ash Sial

    We have received several reports of blueberry gall midge infestations over the past few weeks. Blueberry gall midge, Dasineura oxycoccana (Johnson) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) was first identified as a pest of rabbiteye blueberries in the southeastern United States in early 1990s. Since then, gall midge has been confirmed as a pest of blueberries in major blueberry-growing…

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  • Management of Ground Pearls in Blueberries

    Ash Sial

    A grower recently complained about his blueberry bushes being less vigorous with weak root system. After examining the root system, we discovered that the roots were infested with numerous small, yellowish-brown round cysts which were identified as ground pearls. Ground pearls, Margarodes spp. (Hemiptera: Margarodidae), are subterrestrial insects closely related to aboveground armored scale (Hemiptera:…

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  • 2014 SWD Impact Assessment Survey

    Ash Sial

    As spotted wing drosophila (SWD) has become established throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, it has become increasingly important to understand the impacts this pest has had in different crops and regions. We have conducted grower-focused impact assessments for the last two years and this information has been used to develop research, extension, and education…

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  • Annual Blueberry Update 2015

    Ash Sial

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  • Georgia Is The Top Blueberry State In The Nation

    Ash Sial

    Although Georgia might be called the Peach State, a more accurate nickname would be the Blueberry State. This year, Georgia became the top blueberry producing state in the U.S., according to a news story from The Red and The Black, an independent student newspaper, serving the University of Georgia community. Blueberry production in Georgia this year is estimated at 96…

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  • Managing the Flatheaded Borers in Blueberries

    Ash Sial

    Over the past few weeks, we have received several reports of flatheaded borer infestation in blueberry orchards. The flatheaded borers are a complex of over 600 species of beetles in the United States. The adult flatheaded borers (Fig. 1) are metallic wood boring beetles which are perhaps the most serious pests attacking a wide range…

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  • Rabbiteye Blueberries 2014: When Will They Ripen?

    Ash Sial

    By: D. Scott NeSmith The 2014 blueberry season is underway, and the cold weather has certainly had an impact on our crop. The deep cold has been beneficial in giving a high number of chill hours; however, the length of cold has slowed warming and subsequent plant development. Therefore, at the time of this writing (April…

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  • Spotted Wing Drosophila Identification, Monitoring, and Management

    Ash Sial

    The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an invasive and economically important pest of many soft-skinned fruits such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and other. Since its first detection in California in 2008, SWD spread rapidly across the United States. It was first found in Georgia in 2010 and since…

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  • Sprayer Calibration

    Ash Sial

    I hope everyone learned a little something at our calibration workshop held in Alma on February 27. I think it became clear as the day went on that we really need to spend more time going through examples and doing some hands-on calibration for everyone to get a good feel for what it means. One…

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