Carmelo Rapisarda

Biography

Born in 1958, he graduated in Agricultural Sciences in 1980 at the University of Catania and earned the title of Doctor of Research in Agricultural Entomology in 1987 at the University of Naples Federico II. In 1984, with a scholarship from the National Research Council, he studied systematic insects at the Department of Entomology (now part of the Department of Life Sciences) of the Natural History Museumfrom London. From 1986 to 1990 he was a professor of "Agrarian General Zoology" at the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria. Since 1990 he has served as a researcher at the University of Catania: from 1990 to 1992 as a researcher; from 1992 to 2001 as associate professor of the G06A- "Agrarian Entomology" group; from 2001 to today as ordinary professor of the AGR / 11- "General and applied Entomology" grouping. He has taught many disciplines in the field of entomology in several degree courses and has been a member of the College of Teachers of various disciplines in the field (at the Universities of Catania and Naples) as well as in charge of international masters (including the International Master Agris Mundus in Sustainable Development in Agriculture, funded by the European Commission). Member of the Executive Board (2003-2006) and President (from 2006 to 2010) of the international NATURA Consortium, nowadays AGRINATURE . Since 2005, member of the Italian National Academy of Entomology . Since 2006, coordinator of the PhD in "Phytosanitary Technologies and Agro-ecosystem Defense". From 2007 to 2013, coordinator of the Department of Applied Entomology of the Department. From 2008 to 2012, member of the Scientific Committee of the Institute of Tropics and Subtropics (now Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences) of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague (Czech Republic). From 2008 to 2015, member of the Steering Committee of the Agricultural Entomology Section of the Italian Entomological Society . Since 2012, is an organizer of the Working Group "Integrated control in protected crops, Mediterranean climate" , within the framework of the International Organization of Biological and Integrated Control (IOBC) - West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS). 

Research Interest

Carmelo Rapisarda's research deals with various aspects of both basic and applied aspects of the Agricultural Anthropology and Animal Parasitology. Their predominant role takes the studies on the systematic, taxonomy and bio-ecology of the Aleirodoidei and Psilloidei Emiters. For the first group, the Aleirodoidei, while paying special attention to the analysis of the species of primordial interest applied (especially aleirodi of citrus fruits and horticultural crops), he cares for the biological and taxonomic study of the species that make up the Italian fauna; has reported numerous species previously not reported for the territory and described new taxa. Limited to the Psilloidei group, it studies the taxonomic and bio-ecological aspects of living species on agrarian and forestry plants, as well as on spontaneous essences of Italian flora. Among its contributions in this area, the reports of new species introduction in Italy and the description of several new species emerge. Particular attention is paid to the study of Phelie of Pero and their biocenosis antagonist. Other research deals with different categories of animal organisms (especially nematodes and rodent mammals) that are damaging to agrarian and forest ecosystems, as well as the application of biological and integrated control methods of their infestations. Particularly intense is the research activity on rational strategies for the control of phytophagi of protected orthosis crops. Finally, his studies on ornamental phytophagous plants grown in urban areas and on the biology of their natural antagonists in relation to the peculiar environmental conditions and, more recently, those on the resistance of insecticide insects. He is author of over 160 publications.