Flor Acevedo

Flor Acevedo serves as Assistant Professor of Entomology in the Department of Entomology within Pennsylvania State University's College of Agricultural Sciences. Her research integrates basic and applied entomology to develop pest management strategies, with current focus on spotted lanternfly impacts on viticulture.

Her research interests center on insect-plant-symbiont interactions, specifically:

• Chemical cues for host recognition by insects
• Constitutive and herbivore-induced plant defenses
• Symbiont-mediated defense mechanisms
• Host plant resistance enhancement

Current work examines spotted lanternfly feeding effects on grapevine physiology, yield, and wine quality.

Analysis of her publication reveals strong focus on invasive species impact assessment within agricultural ecosystems, particularly viticulture systems. Her work bridges entomological research with practical agricultural applications and economic impact analysis.

Research funding includes:

• USDA Crop Protection and Pest Management program (2023-70006-40597)
• Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
• Pennsylvania Wine Marketing and Research Board
• New York Wine and Grape Foundation
• Penn State College of Agriculture
• John H. and Timothy R. Crouch Endowment Grant

Acevedo leads field experiments investigating spotted lanternfly impacts on grapevines, collaborating with plant scientists, food chemists, and agricultural economists. Her laboratory employs controlled infestation studies with Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay vines to quantify effects on yield, sugar content, phenolics, and wine quality parameters.