Crop Protection, GMO's & Managing Insect Ecosystems with Entomologist Dr. Suhas Vyavhare

Welcome to the Wylie AgCast!! In this episode of the Wylie AgCast, I sat down with Dr. Suhas Vyavhare, Extension Entomologist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension based in Lubbock, Texas. From growing up around agriculture in India to serving producers across West Texas, Dr. Vyavhare brings a global perspective to one of agriculture's most misunderstood forces — insects. In this conversation, we break down what an Extension Entomologist actually does, the battle between beneficial and destructive insects, and how entomologists act as ecosystem managers in cotton and row crop environments. We dive into GMOs, gene editing, biologicals, pesticide chemistry, invasive species, and why extinction is not the solution when it comes to population control. We also explore current AgriLife research, risk mitigation for producers, and how better margins, not just better yields, shape modern agriculture. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 01:09 - What Does an Extension Entomologist Actually Do? 01:30 - From Farming in India to West Texas Fields: Suhas' Journey 03:25 - Entomology 101: How Bugs Shape Agriculture 05:13 - Good Bugs vs. Bad Bugs: Why We Actually NEED Insects 07:29 - Insecticides & Pesticides Explained 09:00 - Climate Change Invasions & How Entomologists Control Ecosystems 12:26 - Cotton Flea-hoppers, Bollworms & Row Crop Battles 14:20 - Population Control: Why Extinction Isn't the Answer 16:45 - GMOs, Gene Editing & Seedless Watermelons: What You Should Know 26:06 - Inside the Lubbock AgriLife Research Projects 27:50 - Wild Cotton & Perennials: Why Human Intervention Matters 32:00 - Biologicals, Organic Farming & Why Conventional Still Matters 36:28 - Texas A&M AgriLife: The Hidden Powerhouse Behind Ag Research 41:28 - Better Margins, Not Just Bigger Yields: Managing Risk in Agriculture 43:32 - Learning & Pursuing a career in Entomology 44:20 - Water Minerals, Field Research & The Future of A.I. in Ag 48:54 - Final Thoughts & Outro   Follow Dr. Suhas Vyavhare: Website - https://entomology.tamu.edu/people/vyavhare-suhas/ X - https://x.com/Dr_Suhas77?s=20 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/suhas-vyavhare-613a4453/   Check Us Out! https://wyliesprayers.com/ New Location - https://wyliesprayers.com/locations/progreso-tx/ Socials: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wyliesprayers/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wylieimpsprayers/ X - https://x.com/WylieSprayers   Thanks For Watching! #agriculture #cotton #entomology #WylieAgCast