RESEARCH

My recent projects

My recent projects concentrated on feeding physiology and behavior of caterpillars and regulation of corpus allatum endocrine functions and development.

As to the first item, I am interested in the role of glutamate receptors in feeding and gustatory behavior of caterpillar neonates. These studies have direct practical output; enhancement of insecticide formulations with monosodium glutamate allows reducing amounts of toxic ingredients without reducing overall efficacy of pest control. Recently, I also have initiated studies on aversive taste conditioning in insects.

My research on corpus allatum (CA) was recently focused onto neurotransmitters involved in juvenile hormone (JH) production. I am a co-discoverer of functional insect NMDA receptor, which mediates JH biosynthesis in Hawaiian cockroach. Currently, I study cellular signaling pathways that may be involved in action of JH on oocyte maturation in tobacco budworm. A part of my work aims to explain organismal and sub-organismal mechanisms of post-coital sexual selection in lepidopterans, and CA cell differentiation in response to lowered ambient temperature.

My recent publications

Pszczolkowski, M.A., Olson, E., Rhine, C., Ramaswamy, S.B. (2008). Role for calcium in the development of ovarial patency in Heliothis virescens. J. Insect Physiol. 54:358-66.

Pszczolkowski, M.A. (2007). How to trick codling moth? Prospects of manipulation with neonate larvae behavior to the benefit of the grower. Ann. of Warsaw Univ. of Life Sc. – SGGW, Horticult. And Landsc. Architect. 28:7-18

Pszczolkowski, M.A., Rhine, C., Ramaswamy, S.B., Borovsky, D. (2007). The effect of Aea-TMOF on egg maturation in Heliothis virescens: a preliminary study. Pestycydy/Pesticides 3-4, 33-38.

Gelman, D.B., Pszczolkowski M.A., Blackburn M.B., Ramaswamy, S.B. (2007). Ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones of whiteflies, important insect vectors for plant viruses. J.Insect Physiol., 53:274-284.

Pszczolkowski M.A., Tucker,A., Srinivasan, A. and Ramaswamy S.B. (2006). On the functional significance of juvenile hormone in the accessory sex glands of male Heliothis virescens.  J. Insect Physiol., 52 786-794.

Pszczolkowski M.A., Olson E.E., Srinivasan, A. and Ramaswamy S.B. (2005). The road to identifying the juvenile hormone membrane receptor: pharmacological studies on ovarial patency in Heliothis virescens. Pestycydy/ Pesticides, (3), 161-167.

Pszczolkowski, M.A., Ramaswamy, S.B., Anelli C., and Brown, J.J. (2005). Effects of L- and D-aminophosphono acids on feeding in neonate codling moth Cydia pomonella. Pestycydy/Pesticides, (4), 43-48.

Pszczolkowski, M.A., Brown, J.J. and Ramaswamy, S.B. (2005). Effect of metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists and signal transduction modulators on feeding by a caterpillar. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. 82:678-685.

Pszczolkowski M.A. and Brown, J.J. (2005). Single experience learning in host fruit selection by lepidopteran larvae. Physiology and Behavior, 86, 168-175.

Pszczolkowski, M.A., Peterson, A., Srinivasan, A. and Ramaswamy, S.B. (2005). Pharmacology of ovarial patency in Heliothis virescens. J.Insect Physiol. 51:445-453

Pszczolkowski, M.A., Brunner, J., Doerr, M.D. and Brown, J.J. (2004).Enhancement of Bacillus thuringiensis with monosodium glutamate against larvae of obliquebanded leafroller (Lepidoptera:Tortricidae). J. Appl. Entomol. 128:474-477.

Pszczolkowski M.A., Dobrowolski M. and Spencer C. (2004). When did you last test your insects? A forgotten importance of chronotoxicology. Amer. Entomol. 50 (2):72-74.

Pszczolkowski M.A. and Brown J.J. (2004). Enhancement of spinosad toxicity to Cydia pomonella neonates by monosodium glutamate receptor agonist. Phytoparasitica Phytoparasitica 32:342-350.

Pszczolkowski M.A and Gelman D.A. (2004). Chilling stress effects on corpus allatum proliferation in the Hawaiian cockroach, Diploptera punctata: a role for ecdysteroids. J. Insect Physiol. 50:203-208.

Pszczolkowski M.A. and Brown J.J. (2003). Effects of sugars and non-nutritive sugar substitutes on consumption of apple leaves by neonates of codling moth. Phytoparasitica 31:283-291.

Pszczolkowski M.A and Brown J.J. (2003). Chilling affects allatal cell proliferation via antennae and protocerebral neurons in the cockroach Diploptera punctata. J.Insect Physiol. 49:123-129.

Pszczolkowski M.A., Zahand. A, Bushman S.M, and Brown J.J (2003). Effects of calcium and glutamate receptor agonists on leaf consumption by lepidopteran neonates. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. 74:389-394.

Pszczolkowski M.A., Matos, L., Zahand. A, and Brown J.J. (2002). Effect of monosodium glutamate on codling moth larvae fed apple leaves. Entomologia Experimentalis and Applicata. 103:91-98.

Pszczolkowski M.A., Matos, L., Brown R., and Brown J.J. (2002). Feeding and development of codling moth, Cydia pomonella, (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) larvae on apple leaves. Annals of Entomological Society of the USA. 95:603-607.

Pszczolkowski M.A. and Brown J.J. (2002). Prospects of monosodium glutamate use for enhancement of pesticides toxicity against the codling moth. Phytoparasitca 30:243-252.

Chiang, A-S., Pszczolkowski M.A., Liu, H-P., and Lin S-C. (2002). Ionotropic glutamate receptors mediate juvenile hormone synthesis in the cockroach, Diploptera punctata. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 32:669-678.

Chiang, A-S., Lin, W-Y, Liu, H-P, Pszczolkowski M.A., Fu, T-F, Chiu, S-L., Holbrook, G.L. (2002). Insect NMDA receptors mediate juvenile hormone biosynthesis. Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences of the USA. 99:37-42.

Pszczolkowski M.A., Matos, L.F, Bushman S.M, and Brown J.J .(2001). Effects of glutamate receptors agonists and antagonists on feeding by economically important insect pest. Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis. 61:237.

Pszczolkowski M.A., Matos, L.F, Bushman S.M, and Brown J.J .(2001). Feeding enhancements for insecticide targeting neonate lepidopteran larvae. In: 6th International Symposium on Adjuvants for Agrochemicals ISAA 2001. Ed. Hans de Ruiter. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. pp.420-425.

Pszczolkowski M.A., and Chiang A-S. (2000). Effect of chilling stress on allatal growth and juvenile hormone synthesis in the cockroach, Diploptera punctata. J. Insect Physiol. 46:923-931.

Pszczolkowski M.A., Lee W-S., Liu H-P., and Chiang A-S., (1999). Glutamate-induced rise in cytosolic calcium concentration stimulates in vitro rates of juvenile hormone biosynthesis in corpus allatum of Diploptera punctata. Mol.Cell.Endocrinol. 158:163-171.

Chiang A-S., Pszczolkowski M.A., Lee C-M., and Wei T-W., (1999). Protocerebral neurons inhibiting proliferation of corpus allatum cells in the cockroach, Diploptera punctata. J.Comp.Neurol. 413:593-602.

Pszczolkowski M.A., and Dobrowolski M (1999). Circadian dynamics of locomotor activity, and deltamethrin susceptibility in the pine weevil, Hylobius abietis. Phytoparasitica 27:19-25.

Pszczolkowski M.A., and Smagghe G. (1999). Effect of 20-hydroxyecdysone mimic, tebufenozide, on pre- and post-diapause larvae of Dendrolimus pini. J. Appl. Entomol. 123:151-157.