Graduate / 'the plant protection', 'The pampas', 'the nature' - Fulbright application form [3]

Good morning, I am from Argentina. I would like to know if my english in the application form is ok and is written correctly.
Thank you in advance.
Romina

Describe briefly your proposed program of study in the U.S. and name three universities you are interested in (Max. 500 characters with spaces)

I have worked in the plant protection departament in the National Institute for Agricultural Technology (INTA) as a fellow since 2006. I got a Master degree in pest control, in order to improve my knoledge in the field of integrated pest management majoring in insecticide resistance, and become a referent of this subject in Argentina. I want to continue my academic formation in United State because many universities have an important offer of courses related to insecticide resistance, also their teacher and researcher have extensive experience in this area, so I consider them the best option to achieve my goal of been a referent in the subject in Argentina.

Future Plans:
Describe the career you plan to pursue after completion of study / research in the U.S., e.g. teaching, business, industry or any plans you might have for continued study or research in your home country. Also indicate if you will be returning to former employment, or if you have been promised a position in your home country after completing your U.S. training (Max. 2500 characters with spaces) .

The use of agrochemical in Argentina has increased dramatically in the las few years. There is a concern among the researcher, politicians and people in general about the repetitive and continuous use of different chemical pesticide, especially after observing fluctuations on the susceptibility of insects and weeds. These variation lead to increase in the recommended doses of insecticides. As a consecuence, a rapid development of insecticide resistance in insect pest population occurred.

Argentinian economy is mainly based on agriculture and no changes in the system of production are expected. The responsibility of this task relies on researcher of national's institutions such as universities and the national institute of agricultural technology of which I am part as professional investigator. For this reason, my idea is pursue a master degree in entomology specifically in toxicology with professors and researcher of the United State universities who has been working for a long time and are expertise.

After graduation I will return to my country and the institution I belong to, with the objective of developing a laboratory may become of reference in Argentina. Also, I will train people, in order to create a solid work group able to develop easy to use techniques for early detection of insecticide resistance in the field, create educational plans and propose a resistance management techniques to reduce artificial selection pressure, generate new and useful information for helping farmers, advisors and professionals in the correct use of pesticides.

Study/Research Objectives Write a clear and detailed description of your study/research objectives, and give your reasons for wanting to pursue them. Be specific about your major field and your specialized interests within this field. Describe the kind of program you expect to undertake, and explain how your study plan fits in with your previous training and your future objectives. This statement is an essential part of your application and is required. (Max. 7500 characters with spaces)

The pampas region in argentina includes the center-south of the province of santa fe, east-central Cordoba, north central Buenos aires, northeast of la pamapa and eastern entre rios. In the last three decades, this region has experienced relevant and rapid technological, social, economic, and cultural changes.

In the late twentieth century, the process of agriculturization in this region occurred through the area expansion of cereals and oilseeds, particularly soybean.
From 1993 to 2008, the area planted with soybeans increased from 5.3 to 16.6 millions hectares, and grain production from 11 to 46.2 millions tons. This production model brought about the misuse of natural resources and a high dependence of technology inputs.

In Argentina, pesticide market has increase 280% from 2000 to 2008. The application rate of pesticide has increased in most traditional crops in the last years. In this context agrochemical are that increase food the production at low cost. However, in the long term, the irrational use of these products may have adverse effects on human health, the enviroment, international trade and profitability, by reducing the effectivenes of control due to the development of resistance to pesticide.

The increased use of inputs exert a strong selection pressure on weed population and communities, invertebrates pests and plant pathogens, promoting tolerance and resistance to pesticide and the reduction of biological control. This situation creates a no ending cycle that requires increased doses of traditional pesticides and the incorporatiion of new ones or more complex formulation.

Melander 1914 recorder for the first time the existance of resistance of the San Jose scale to lime sulphur as a consequence of failure in inorganic insecticide control. He describes the scale insects that were alive after been in contact with a piece of spray drying of an inorganic insecticide.

Between 1914 and 1946, 11 other cases of resistnace to pesticides were organic. In 2004 there were 540 species of insect resistant to one or more pesticides.
Resistance to insecticide in insect and mites is pre-adaptive; the genes controlling the resistance mechanism are already present in very low frecuencies in the population prior to any use of insecticides. So resistance is the resul of artificial selection pressure in favor of those genes.

In Argentina there is a lack of information about this topic. Because of this, the pimary goal in my career is to be and expert on bichemical, physiology and genetic mechanism associated with resistance to insecticide.

It is important to me to manage techniques that will let me know genetic regulation of enzymes responsible for detoxification of insecticide and to advance in the understanding of insecticide resitance evolution.

In Argentina there are no courses related specifically with this subject. On the other hand in the universities of the United States such as Nebraska University, Louisiana University, Florida University or Cornell has specific courses like Insecticide toxicology, Insect molecular genetics, and insect control by host plant resistant, molecular toxicology between others in its master degree. Their teacher and researcher have extensive experience in this field they have been working for a long time.

That is why I believe is a good option to achieving my goal of obtaining a Master degree in entomology majoring in toxicology. The experience obtained during my studies in the United Sates working with expertise in the area, will help me to get involved in projects that study insect's genetic and their physiology information useful to management insecticide application against population of insects and also create methods to detect changes in insecticide susceptibility in the main pests of my country.

B. Personal Statement This personal statement should be a narrative statement describing how you have achieved your current goals. It should not be a mere listing of facts. It should include information about your education, practical experience, special interests, and career plans. Describe any significant factors that have influenced your educational or professional development. Comment on the number of years of practical experience already completed in the field in which academic work will be done in the U.S. (Max. 7500 characters with spaces)

I have always been interested in interacting with nature since I was a child. I am a very curious person who always wants to know more. After completing high school I decide to be a professional in science.

I began my studies at the University of Buenos Aires in order to get a bachelor degree in biology, with the idea of a major in molecular biology. At that time this area, which was new and unknown, attracted my curiosity. Sadly, the loss of my father, turned that period of my life in a very difficult one, and the first years of my career were not very successful and I dropped out.

Once I recovered from this situation I pursue a degree in Genetics at the University of Moron, Studying zoology aroused my passion for insects, such small and wonderful beings.

From my point of view the career was very theoretic without practical applications. Therefore, in February 2002, I began working as a honorary student in the laboratory of genetics of insect of economic importance, in the institute of genetic s of the national institute for agricultural technology in Castelar.

I worked with South American fruit fly, Anastrepha Fraterculus, studying variations in the reproductive performance of different mutants available in the laboratory. The objective was to use, in the future, mutants with physiological characteristic of interest for the development of the sterile male technique for controlling pest. This work was included in my graduate thesis for obtaining my bachelor degree.

I presented several works at genetic congresses, one of which was chosen as the best panel in the area of genetic and evolution.
After I got my bachelor degree in June 2005, I started looking for a job. I applied to several fellowships. In April 2006 I started as a research fellow in the area of plant protection at the agricultural research station in Oliveros, Santa Fe, which belongs to the national institute of agricultural technology.

During the first year of the fellowship I focused on learning about the major pests of the most important crops in the pampas region, such as wheat, maize and soybean, also I attended a training course backed by Monsanto, and for five days I attended explanatory talks on insecticide resistance in the university of Nebraska and the university of Missouri Columbia.

The second year I started a master degree on pest control and their environmental impact in national university of San Martin. During 2009 I made the research for pursuing the magister degree.

The thesis deals with evaluation of variations in susceptibility to commonly insecticide used by producers for controlling Rachiplusia nu, using two different applications. The results were presented at the national congress of entomology in Chile. In November 2010 I obtained my graduate degree.

I belong of the health and safety committee of the research station since 2011. I am responsible for ensuring the safety of employees of research station, paying attention mainly in the correct use of protective equipment.

I am currently involved in three investigation projects financed by the national institute of agricultural technology. All of them are related to farming system and their relationship with environment, society and pest. I am in charge of studying the impact of chemical treatment on pest survival, performing susceptibility test on arthropod pests.

Continuous training is essential for me. I always try to take courses to improve my knowledge on the area I work, however in Argentina is difficult to get specific courses or activities related to insecticide resistance because of the absence of specialized professor in the area. I have particular interest in the dynamic relationship between insecticides and insecticide resistance, especially the genetic bases of the resistance mechanism and the analysis of the frequency at which the genes related to resistance or tolerance can occur in a population. That is why it is so important for me to pursue a master degree in the subject in order to be a leading researcher in the area and to transfer the acquire knowledge to other members of the group and new student.