“We are thrilled to welcome Kyle to the New York State Integrated Pest Management team,” Calixto said. “His extension experience, research background and knowledge of fruit IPM, and his ability to connect with people will prove invaluable to New York grape growers.”
Bekelja, who will join the program in February, holds a Ph.D. in entomology from Virginia Tech, where he has served as a postdoctoral researcher since 2022. He shared his vision for working with growers, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and NYSIPM and Cornell AgriTech colleagues to develop and communicate strategies for integrated pest management. He said he looks forward to meeting growers and learning about their unique challenges.
“I'm excited to meet producers in each grape-growing region, learn how they've adapted their businesses for success, and decipher how integrated pest management can help them achieve their goals. I'm also extremely excited to deepen my understanding of the cropping system and to work with all the members of the grape team at Cornell to meet the challenges facing the New York grape industry,” Bekelja said.
In addition to invasive species and plant diseases, Bekelja said he sees climate and regulatory changes as key threats to grape producers.
"Some of the biggest challenges I see impacting New York grape growers include less predictable growing conditions, changing pesticide regulations, and invasive pests. Weather conditions that divert from the norm can complicate pest management in various ways while also making vines more vulnerable,” Bekelja said, noting a late-spring frost that resulted in significant losses for growers in 2024. “Additionally, for better or worse, changes in the availability of certain pesticides will have ramifications for our grape growers across the state.”
Despite the myriad pressures facing growers, Bekelja says he is optimistic about the future and excited to help producers meet challenges and reach their goals.
Bekelja will be based at NYSIPM’s Geneva office on the campus of Cornell AgriTech. He can be reached at kmb399 [at] cornell.edu (kmb399[at]cornell[dot]edu).
