Dalila Rendon, former research associate at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Unit in Corvallis, has been named the new IR-4 Specialty Crops Pesticide Registration Research Leader at Oregon State University.

Dalila Rendon, here speaking at the Oregon Clover Growers Annual Meeting, is the new IR-4 Specialty Crops Pesticide Registration Leader at Oregon State University.

Rendon replaces Dani Lightle, who held the position for five-plus years before taking a position as Policy and Stewardship Director for Oregonians for Food and Shelter last October.

Rendon, an entomologist, had been working since 2022 on insect management in blueberries. Previously, she worked on insect management in cotton, tree fruit and ornamentals.

 “I’m very excited to support this program and assist the blueberry industry with their pest management needs through the IR-4 Program,” Rendon said.
The IR-4 Project is a federal program that helps register pesticides for use in specialty crops. As the project’s Oregon liaison, Rendon will conduct field trials to gather data to help register pesticides for Oregon specialty crops, including blueberries.

Having worked in blueberries for the past couple of years, Rendon has some experience in the crop, but asked that blueberry growers contact her and help improve her understanding of the industry’s needs. “Come and talk to me, let me know what your needs are, what your problems are and invite me to your farm,” she said.

Rendon holds a Ph.D. in applied biosciences from Macquarie University and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from Universidad de los Andes, in her hometown of Bogota, Colombia.

She can be reached at Dalila.rendon@oregonstate.edu