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Dr. Roger I. Vargas, Research Entomologist at the US Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service’s (USDA-ARS) Daniel K. Inouye US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, passed away suddenly on 10 July 2018. Dr. Vargas was one of the world’s leading experts on Tephritid fruit fly ecology, biological control, integrated pest management, and on the development of area wide programs (AWPM) against these invasive pests of quarantine significance. His scientific impact was considerable: Dr. Vargas was author or co-author of 241 published scientific papers (164 in refereed scientific journals) that have collectively been cited over 6,300 times. Dr. Vargas had over 45 years of research experience. He received a BA in Zoology from University of California, Riverside, an MS in Biology from San Diego State, and his PhD in Entomology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1979. He started work as a Research Entomologist with USDA-ARS in 1980. From 1984 to 1990 he served as Research Leader of the Rearing, Radiation and Genetics unit in Honolulu, Oahu. During this time, he researched and developed rearing systems, and assisted in the development of improved diets for mass rearing facilities in Hawaii, Mexico and Guatemala. With Dr. Toshiyuki Nishida, a University of Hawaii professor, Dr. Vargas published the first abundance, distribution, and host preference information (i.e., solanaceous fruits) for Malaysian fruit fly, discovered on Oahu Island in 1983. Dr. Vargas also modeled comparative life history, survival, and demographics of wild and laboratory lines of Mediterranean, oriental, melon, and Malaysian fruit flies and their parasitoids. A major accomplishment for Dr. Vargas was his coordination of a national program “Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management of Fruit Flies in Hawaiian Fruits and Vegetables.” Through this program area-wide control of fruit flies in Hawaii was addressed after over 100 years of infestation. Dr. Vargas’s personal technology transfer efforts for GF-120 Naturalyte NF Fruit Fly Bait to the Bactrocera spp. and male annihilation treatments were incorporated into the area- wide program and generated interest by industry to register new reduced-risk products for fruit fly control. Implementation of the program in many cases reduced the use of organophosphate insecticides by 75-90%. Technology transfer and training have occurred with Thailand, PRC, Taiwan, French Polynesia, Guam, Northern Marianas, Fiji and various western African countries. Through the AW-IPM program, GF-120 NF Naturalyte Fruit Fly Bait received an “all crops” and organic label in 2006, Amulet-C-L was registered in 2007, STATICTM-Spinosad-ME (aka SPLAT- MAT-spinosad-ME) was registered in 2008/2012 and Warrior II (lambda-cyhalothrin) soil drench in 2015 for fruit fly control with US EPA. Dr. Vargas was frequently called on as a tephritid expert by agencies including the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Secretariat A Tribute to Dr. Roger I. Vargas 1947-2018
