February 2012 Phytopathology News

www.apsnet.org

February 2012 • Volume 46 • Number 2

Communicating the Value of Plant Science Carol A. Ishimaru, APS President, cishimar@umn.edu As APS president, it is my privilege to select the topic for the society’s 2012 Annual Meeting. An idea for it came to me while sitting in an APS meeting last year. We were discussing the society’s agenda for its annual public policy meeting in Washington, DC, when it dawned on me that many of the issues our profession faces could benefit from improved communication about what it is we do and why we do it.

The pressure to produce more and better food for the world’s growing population has never been greater. According to recent projections, by 2050, we must produce twice as much food as we do today. We also live in a time of unprecedented advances in plant health science. How can it be then, given the needs and our ability to address those needs, that the Carol A. Ishimaru public base for plant pathology and related sciences has been eroding, leading to significant reductions in the number of faculty, students, and departments of plant pathology in the United States?

During that meeting, I naively decided on “Communicating Science” as the topic for the APS Annual Meeting. My exhilaration was short lived, as I soon began to realize the challenge of organizing a plenary around a topic I know little about and for which I have few connections.

Nevertheless, the journey so far into the possibilities for a plenary on communication has already broadened my awareness of how important this topic has become. Other scientific societies, like the American Society of Microbiologists, are also launching initiatives in this area.

Communicating science is a core function of APS; it’s part of the APS vision statement (www.apsnet.org/about/visionoverview).

APS plays a vital role in communicating our collective message to the public and private sectors. It’s also one of the five interacting “areas of endeavor” identified in the comprehensive report “Vision of Plant Pathology in the 21st Century,” which was written by a group of APS members. In the “Vision Tree,” education is the roots of the tree, while its branches are initiatives affecting the research and practice of plant pathology. What keeps the initiatives connected and supported by its base is a scaffold of coordinated communication networks.

Your leaders on council use the APS vision and strategic plan to align all of the efforts of the organization. Council is in its second year under the new governance structure. It meets more frequently than in the past and focuses its agenda on big strategic issues affecting members and the profession. Three in particular, the future of plant pathology, international society relations, and industry relations, will continue to be a focus this year. Council has also been evaluating the effectiveness of its communication with the APS membership through its many APS offices, boards, and committees.

One of the things I’m most excited about from council’s fall retreat is the decision to release funds to pursue the development of six member-driven initiatives. Some of the items came directly from Communicating the Value of Plant Science continued on page 23

News Picture Your Photos on the New APS Journal Covers in 2012

The new year brought a fresh new look to all three of the society’s research journals.

“Color photographs are the focal point of the redesigns and the addition of white space and new typography give the journals a clean, crisp modern look,” said Tony Keinath, chair of the APS Publications Board. The Publications Board asked the society’s design and production team to revitalize the covers with larger, more prominent images to show off the excellent science within our journals. Phytopathology gets color on its cover for the first time ever, and Plant Disease gets its first facelift since the 1980s. The MPMI logo vanishes and is replaced by a larger screened MPMI acronym. Many of the scientists that publish in Plant Disease, Phytopathology, and MPMI produce excellent images to enhance their research and these covers are designed to showcase those images. If you submit your work to any of our journals and wish to have images considered for the covers, be sure to include your highest resolution color files when you submit your papers in order to get consideration for cover placement.

Visit http://apsjournals.apsnet.org to view thumbnails of each of the journal’s new cover designs and submit your research. n

In this Issue Editor’s Corner .......................................... 22 APS Foundation ........................................ 26 Outreach ................................................... 27

People ....................................................... 30 Classifieds .................................................. 34

APS Journal Articles .................................. 35 Calendar of Events .................................... 36

www.apsnet.org

February 2012 • Volume 46 • Number 2

News

Editor-in-Chief: Doug Jardine Managing Editor: Michelle Bjerkness Editor: Amanda Aranowski Design: Agnes Walker Advertising Sales: Cindy Anderson

Editor’s Corner Thank You, Mr. Lincoln Doug Jardine, Kansas State University, PhytoNewsEditor@scisoc.org

Phytopathology News (ISSN 0278-0267) is published eleven times per year by The American Phytopathological Society (APS) at 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121 U.S.A. Phone: +1.651.454.7250, Fax: +1.651.454.0766, E-mail: aps@scisoc.org, Web: www.apsnet.org. Phytopathology News is distributed to all APS members. Subscription price to nonmembers is $76 U.S./$90 Elsewhere. Periodicals paid at St. Paul, MN. CPC Intl Pub Mail #0969249. Postmaster: Send address changes to Phytopathology News, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121 U.S.A. Submission Guidelines Address all editorial correspondence to: Doug Jardine, Department of Plant Pathology, 4024 Throckmorton Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506-5502 U.S.A. Phone: +1.785.532.1386; Fax: +1.785.532.5692; E-mail: PhytoNewsEditor@scisoc.org. In order to ensure timely publication of your news items and announcements, please send in material six weeks prior to the date of publication. Material should be no more than six months old when submitted. Submission of materials as electronic files, via e-mail, will speed processing. For information on submitting electronic images contact Agnes Walker at awalker@scisoc.org. Deadline for submitting items for the March 2012 issue is January 15, 2012.

APS Leadership Council President: Carol A. Ishimaru President-Elect: Michael J. Boehm Vice President: George S. Abawi Immediate Past President: John L. Sherwood Internal Communications Officer: David M. Gadoury Treasurer: Randall C. Rowe Treasurer-Elect: Steven A. Slack Senior Councilor-at-Large: Anne E. Dorrance Intermediate Councilor-at-Large: Walter F. Mahaffee Junior Councilor-at-Large: Jeff B. Jones Divisional Councilor: David G. Schmale III Publications Councilor: Anthony P. Keinath Executive Vice President: Steven C. Nelson Editors-in-Chief APS PRESS: Margery L. Daughtrey MPMI: Gary Stacey Phytopathology: George W. Sundin Phytopathology News: Doug J. Jardine Plant Disease: R. Mike Davis Plant Disease Management Reports: Frank P. Wong Plant Health Progress: Ned A. Tisserat The Plant Health Instructor: Katherine L. Stevenson Board and Office Chairs and Directors APS Foundation Chair: Ray D. Martyn Divisional Forum Chair: Jim E. Adaskaveg PPB Chair: Jan E. Leach Publications Board Chair: Anthony P. Keinath OE Director: Scott E. Gold OEC Director: Seogchan Kang OIP Director: Sally A. Miller OIR Director: Brian D. Olson OPRO Director: Monica L. Elliott AMB Director: Scott T. Adkins AXMB Director: Rick Bennett Division Officers Caribbean Divisional Forum Rep.: Lawrence Datnoff President: Ronald D. French-Monar Vice President: Judith K. Brown Secretary-Treasurer: Aaron Palmateer North Central Divisional Forum Rep.: Tamra Jackson President: Anne Dorrance Vice President: James Stack Secretary-Treasurer: Carl Bradley Northeastern Divisional Forum Rep.: Wade H. Elmer President: Beth K. Gugino Vice President: Christian A. Wyenandt Secretary-Treasurer: David C. Thompson Pacific Divisional Forum Rep.: Jim E. Adaskaveg President: Debra A. Inglis President-Elect: Themis Michailides Secretary-Treasurer: Akif Eskalen Potomac Divisional Forum Rep.: Daniel Roberts President: Boris A. Vinatzer Vice President: Yilmaz Balci Secretary-Treasurer: Bingyu Zhao Southern Divisional Forum Rep.: Timothy B. Brenneman President: David Langston President-Elect: Raymond W. Schneider Vice President: Jason Woodward Secretary-Treasurer: Donald M. Ferrin

22 Phytopathology News

Doug Jardine

February can be a gloomy month. People have been battling snow, ice, and cold weather since back in November. The lack of sun and barren landscape can result in mild bouts of depression. Imagine then what it must have been like back in February 1862. The United States had been embroiled in the Civil War for a little over a year and clearly no end was in sight. Events of that month included the inauguration of Jefferson Davis as the first (and only) president of the Confederate States of America; President Abraham Lincoln’s son “Willie” died of what was probably typhoid fever; and Ulysses Grant captured Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, which guarded the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, respectively, in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.

Even as the war raged, however, several pieces of legislation were winding their way through the halls of Congress that would change agriculture in the United States forever.

In May 1862, Lincoln had the foresight to sign into law an act of Congress establishing “at the seat of Government of the United States a Department of Agriculture.” Later in that month, Lincoln also signed into law the Homestead Act that provided 160 acres of public land to any American or prospective citizen who resided on the land for five years and made improvements on it.

Also at this time, a piece of legislation that would revolutionize agriculture in the United States was methodically making its way through Congress. Originally introduced in 1857 by Vermont Representative Justin Smith Morrill, the Morrill Land Grant College Act would allocate federal land in each state for the creation of agriculture colleges. Passed by Congress in 1859, the Morrill Act was vetoed by President James Buchanan.

In 1861, Morrill resubmitted the act with an amendment to teach military tactics as well as engineering and agriculture. With this additional mission, and aided by the secession of many of the states that did not support the plans, the Morrill Act was signed into law by Lincoln on July 2, 1862.

One hundred and fifty years later, most members of APS have obtained one or more of their degrees from a land-grant institution, including many of our international members. The USDA provides jobs for many of our members as well as funding for our research, and some of us still do on-farm research on land that was initially farmed by those first homesteaders.

So as we celebrate Lincoln’s 203rd birthday on February 12, let us remember him not only as the emancipator of slaves and the man who provided the leadership to keep this country from destroying itself, but also as the man who understood the important role that agriculture would have in the development of our nation. To that I say, “Thank you, Mr. Lincoln.” n

2011 Field Crops Rust Symposium

2011 Field Crops Rust Symposium Coordinator Don Hershman

More than 130 attendees joined APS in San Antonio, TX, December 14–16, 2011, at the 2011 Field Crops Rust Symposium, the first event of its kind. Keynote speaker Philip Pardey, University of Minnesota, kicked off the event with a presentation on rust diseases within a global food security context. Attendees shared ideas and research on Ug99 wheat stem rust, soybean rust, sugarcane rust, and many other significant rust diseases. A full write-up of the event will be coming in the next issues of Phytopathology News. APS would like to extend a special thanks to the Field Crops Rust Symposium Coordinator Don Hershman, University of Kentucky, and to the Program Chair Erick DeWolf, Kansas State University. n

Communicating the Value of Plant Science continued from page 21

recommendations of the ad hoc Committee on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). We hope to keep this momentum going by reinforcing a culture of innovation within APS. APS Council and staff are developing a pipeline for monitoring ideas coming from committees and bringing these ideas to reality. That includes tools to track and prioritize suggestions from volunteers, such as those from CIE. These instruments should greatly facilitate council’s ability to quickly decide where to invest valuable volunteer time and financial resources for the benefit of the society.

Some of the items under development are smartphone/tablet/iPad applications, online courses, a communications portal for department heads along with a video on why plant pathology is important (and cool), continued investment in the APS content management system (CMS), and continued investment in the Coalition for a Sustainable Agricultural Workforce (CSAW). Stay tuned for progress and watch for upcoming efforts in 2012!

As an undergraduate student, I chose the Green Revolution for my senior seminar topic and listened to a recording of Norman Borlaug’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. His powerful words have been an inspiration ever since. He grew from being an effective scientist who fed millions, into an even more effective spokesperson for the concerns of humanity. In his last years he continued to use his fame to educate heads of state and the scientific community about the need for a green revolution in Africa, and more generally, a revolution that not only meets the rising food and fiber demands of a growing global population, but one that is sustainable environmentally and economically. Consider this: During the time it’s taken to read this article, the global population has grown by 7,700 people while two square miles of agricultural land have been lost, and 1 billion people suffered from hunger.

@PlantDisease

Here’s just a few of the headlines you missed this month from the APS Twitter feed.

Vanilla crops hit by disease http://bit.ly/sgnYN1 53 New Species of Insects Fungi and Plants Found in Costa Rica http://bit.ly/uegmJa Happy New Year! Share a favorite APS memory from the 2011 Joint Meeting using: #APS_Annual_ Meeting2011!

Were he here today, Borlaug would challenge us to become part of the next green revolution—to become a “hunger fighter.” In addition to contributing to the supporting science, I believe we must also become adept at distilling the message of the value of the plant sciences to family, to friends, to colleagues, and especially to those decision-makers in a position to make a difference. My vision is that APS can play a role in helping all of us gain that voice. n

PBS: Scientists in Kenya Try to Fend Off Disease Threatening World’s Wheat Crop http://to.pbs.org/uwstJM

Apply Today to Speak at Sino-U.S. Plant Pathology Symposium

Revealing how a potato disease takes hold http://bit.ly/rEZahW

The first symposium on Current Advances of Molecular Plant Pathology in China, organized by the Sino-U.S. Plant Pathology Committee, was a great success at the 2011 APS Joint Meeting in Honolulu, HI, on August 10, 2011. Five distinguished Chinese scientists presented their new results and developments on different aspects of plant pathology in China. In conjunction with the APS meeting, an APS-Chinese Society of Plant Pathology (CSPP) working partnership meeting was held, and the presidents and officers of both societies agreed to continue the symposium and decided to have the second Sino-U.S. Plant Pathology Symposium in conjunction with CSPP’s Annual Meeting, July 20–23, 2012, in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. Three APS members will be invited to give a talk at the symposium. Registration fees and lodging expense will be covered by CSPP. If interested, please contact Guo-Liang Wang (wang.620@osu.edu) or Yulin Jia (yulin.jia@ ars.usda.gov) before February 29, 2012. n

IMPORTANT APS DATES TO REMEMBER February 2012 1 Call for papers for 2012 APS Annual Meeting opens 5 Applications for the French-Monar Latin American Award due 15 APS Foundation Schroth Faces of the Future Symposium applications due 15 APS Foundation Student Travel Award application process opens

BBC: Cardinham woods cope with disease and flood aftermath http://bbc.in/tshiFc

January issue of Phytopathology News Now Live! http://bit.ly/nEfjXS RT @NSF Improving legumes with mutant soybeans http://ow.ly/80psC @pcronald New Tomorrow’s Table Blog Post: Lets Talk: A Story of Interspecies Communication http://bit.ly/sJhCQN Dutch ring rot prompts source safe seed message http://bit.ly/w0R3at NSF: A Major Step Forward Towards Drought Tolerance in Crops http://bit.ly/u4nBK3

Follow APS at www.twitter.com/ plantdisease for breaking news as it happens.

March 2012 15 APS Annual Meeting call for papers closes 15 APS Annual Meeting abstract submissions due 21 APS Foundation Student Travel Award applications due 21 APS Foundation Browning Plant Medicine and Plant Health Travel Award applications due 31 OPRO board member nominations due Phytopathology News 23

Stevenson Named New Plant Health Instructor/APS Education Center Editor-in-Chief; New Senior Editors Announced Effective January 2012, Katherine L. Stevenson has been named editor-in-chief of The Plant Health Instructor and the APS Education Center (www.apsnet.org/edcenter), together with four new senior editors, Wakar Uddin, Elizabeth L. Little, Kira L. Bowen, and Robert L. Wick.

Stevenson is a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia (UGA). She received B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in plant pathology from Cornell University.

Following graduation in 1990, she worked Katherine L. Stevenson briefly as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Plant Pathology at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. In 1992, Stevenson joined the faculty of the Department of Plant Pathology at UGA, where she currently holds an 80% research, 20% teaching appointment. Her research program is focused primarily on epidemiology, disease management and mechanisms, monitoring, and management of fungicide resistance in fungal pathogens of pecan, peanut, and cucurbits. She teaches an undergraduate course in Diagnosis and Management of Plant Diseases and a graduate class in Epidemiology of Plant Diseases.

Uddin is a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at Penn State University (PSU).

He received an M.S. degree in IPM from the University of Nevada-Reno and a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the University Wakar Uddin of Georgia. After graduation in 1996, he spent a year as a postdoctoral research associate at the Georgia Experiment Station at Griffin, GA, and joined PSU in 1998 as the turfgrass pathologist.

His research involves epidemiology and management of turfgrass diseases, particularly gray leaf spot of perennial ryegrass turf and population biology of turfgrass pathogens affecting turf under various management conditions in golf courses, sports fields, home lawns, and sod production fields. He operates a turfgrass disease clinic providing outreach services to the Pennsylvania turfgrass industry.

He teaches two resident courses and two online courses on Penn State World Campus.

Little is an assistant professor and extension specialist at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens. She received her B.S. degree in plant pathology from Cornell University and a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the University of Elizabeth L. Little California-Davis in 1995. Little has been teaching plant pathology courses, including online courses, at UGA for 12 years. In 2009, she also assumed an extension appointment in the diagnosis and sustainable management of diseases in the home landscape.

Her research efforts include the development of organic production recommendations for fruits and vegetables under southeastern growing conditions.

Bowen is a professor of plant pathology at Auburn University (AU), Alabama, in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology.

She received her B.S. degree in plant sciences at Penn State University, her M.S. degree Kira L. Bowen in plant pathology from the University of Minnesota, and her Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the University of Illinois. After graduation in 1987, she worked briefly as a post-doctoral research plant pathologist with USDA-ARS at North Carolina State University. At AU, Bowen has had responsibilities for teaching General Plant Pathology and Plant Disease Epidemiology. Her research has addressed disease issues on wheat, peanuts, corn, roses, and several other plants and crops, including bioenergy crops.

Robert L. Wick 24 Phytopathology News

Wick received his Ph.D. degree from Virginia Tech in 1981 and after a short term there as assistant professor moved to the University of Massachusetts.

Wick’s appointment includes extension, research, and teaching. He has

been in diagnostic plant pathology his entire career and has been teaching diagnostics at home and abroad. Wick works with vegetable and greenhouse crops as well as with the turfgrass industry. He teaches plant pathology, diagnostic plant pathology, forest pathology, and mycology. He has also taught nematology, turf pathology, and biological control of plant diseases. His research interests are with Pythium, Phytophthora, and the downy mildews.

He is currently working on downy mildew of basil and late blight of tomato and potato. Wick also runs a nematode assay lab and investigates population dynamics and management strategies for plant-parasitic nematodes in turfgrasses. n

If you can pronounce Phytophthora [fayh-tof-ther-uh], you’re probably a plant pathologist.

And if you’re a plant pathologist, you belong with APS. Share this distinctive community of scientists with others. Tell your colleagues to visit APSnet so they can find out what you already know—if you’re a plant pathologist, you belong here.

www.apsnet.org Photo courtesy of C. Kadooka, from the Compendium of Ornamental Palm Disease and Disorders.

The APS Annual Meeting Returns to New England!

APS invites you to join us for the 2012 Annual Meeting, August 4–8, 2012, in Providence, RI. This will mark the first time APS has held its annual meeting in Providence and the first time the annual meeting has taken place in New England since 1933. We are excited to be in New England, surrounded by picturesque scenery, breezes coming off the Atlantic Ocean, historical building and landmarks, and such extensive plant life in Rhode Island itself as well as the neighboring states.

New England is marked by the number of small states located in close proximity to each other, Rhode Island being the smallest state in the entire United States. From Providence, it will take you just one hour by car to arrive in Boston or 45 minutes to arrive in the beautiful New England resort town of Newport, RI, world renowned for its historical Newport Mansions and its vibrant sailing community and history. Or, if you have some more extra time at the beginning or end of your trip, you can take the three-hour train ride to New York City, or hop on a one-hour flight to visit Washington, DC. For the ocean lovers, it is never more than 30 miles from any point in Rhode Island to the shore. You can bet that the 2012 field trips will take advantage of all these attributes and you won’t want to miss a single one of them!

Special Sessions Special Sessions consist of invited speakers and topics chosen by the Annual Meetings Board under the guidance of Director Scott Adkins and 2012 APS President-Elect Mike Boehm.

These sessions are carefully selected to represent the interests of APS members and present a variety of information on both hot topics and traditional topics in the fields of plant pathology and plant protection.

Listed alphabetically by section. Sessions are preliminary and subject to change.

Biology of Pathogens • International Perspective on Fusarium Head Blight • New Insights into the Virulence Mechanism of Plant-Pathogenic Bacteria • Potato virus Y—An Old Virus and a New Problem in Potato • Unifying Concepts in Plant and Animal Vector Biology Disease Control and Pest Management • Do Regulatory Agencies Really Make the Rules in Crop Protection?

• Emerging Tools and Regulations Impacting the Enhancement of Disease Resistance Using Biotechnology • Fungicides to Promote Plant Physiological Benefits in Crops • Grafting as an Alternative to Soil Fumigation for Disease Management in Vegetable Production • 12th I. E. Melhus Graduate Student Symposium: Host Plant Resistance and Disease Management: Current Status and Future Outlook • Issues and Opportunities in Regulatory Sciences at EPA • New Products and Services • The National Clean Plant Network: Ensuring Disease-Free, Vegetatively Propagated Fruit Tree Planting Stock Diseases of Plants • Advances in Detection Technologies: Application in Plant Pathogen and Disease Detection • Bioenergy Crops and Disease • Schroth Faces of the Future—New Frontiers in Plant Bacteriology • Thousand Cankers Disease: A Threat to Eastern Black Walnut Throughout Its Native Range and Beyond Ecology and Epidemiology • “Left of Boom!” Information: Form, Content, and Use in Epidemic Prediction • Exploring the Micropolis: Sampling, Identifying, and Analyzing the Diversity of Microbial Communities • It’s a Mixed Up World: Hybridization and Horizontal Gene Transfer in Plant Pathogens and Endophytes • Resolving the Species-Population Interface in Asexual Fungi: New Tools to Address an Old Problem • Right of the Boom: Deciding to Act, React, or Let Go in a Fluid Data Environment

Courtesy of the Providence Warwick CVB

Courtesy of the Providence Warwick CVB

Molecular/Cellular/Plant-Microbe Interactions • Genetics, Genomics, and Proteomics Approaches to Elucidate Arthropod-Vector Specificity • Pathogen Effectors and Host Targets Professionalism/Outreach • Everything a Scientist Should Know About Politics, Funding, and Public Opinion • Practice and Management of Microbial and Plant Germplasm Collections Important Meeting Dates February 1 March 15 Mid-March

Call for Papers Opens Call for Papers Closes Registration Opens

We are truly excited to be holding the 2012 APS Annual Meeting in Providence and about all the wonderful sights the area has to offer. The preliminary schedule, as well as full descriptions of the special sessions, workshops, and field trips, are available on the 2012 APS Annual Meeting website at www.apsnet.org/meet.

We look forward to seeing you this summer in “The Ocean State”! n

Phytopathology News 25

APS Foundation Applications Now Being Accepted for the French-Monar Latin American Award The French-Monar Latin American Fund was established by Edward R. French and Delia Monar French in August 2001. The earnings from this endowment provide financial support for plant pathologists from Latin America in a variety of ways, including 1) assistance to attend meetings of the APS Caribbean Division or the Latin American Phytopathological Congress (organized by the Latin American Phytopathological Association [ALF]) 2) acquisition of APS PRESS publications or cost of publishing research papers in APS journals 3) APS membership scholarships for the APS Group Membership option as described at www. apsnet.org/about/join/benefits/Pages/Group.aspx.

The application process is now open for one competitive French-Monar Latin American Award of up to $1,000 to be given in 2012. Graduate students and early career plant pathologists living in Latin American countries are eligible. Applicants must have obtained their highest degree as an ingeniero, agronomo, or equivalent, or an advanced degree, obtained within the last 10 years.

The main criterion for the award is the professional promise of student applicants and the apparent productivity of early career applicants.

Guidelines and Criteria Applications must be in English and be submitted as a PDF file and include the following: • Graduate student applications: o A cover letter, written by the student, describing her/his general academic and career goals along with a description of the intended use of the award (250 word maximum) and why the funding is needed. Applicant’s name, degree program, name of advisor, and name of institution department, mailing address, and without exception an e-mail should also be included in the letter. o A description of the student’s thesis research (two page maximum). o A letter of support from a plant pathologist familiar with the candidate’s scholarly accomplishment and potential. o If applying for support to attend a meeting, a copy of the abstract for the oral or poster presentation to be given at the event should also be included.

• Early career professional applications: o A cover letter, written by the applicant, describing her/his career goals along with a

description of the intended use of the award (250 word maximum) and why the funding is needed. Applicant’s name, highest degree and date received, and name of institution granting it, current position title, current employer, mailing address, and without exception an e-mail should also be included in the letter. o A brief resume which describes the applicant’s main duties and accomplishments to date (two page maximum). o A letter of support from a plant pathologist familiar with the candidate’s accomplishments and potential. o If applying for support to attend a meeting, a copy of the abstract for the oral or poster presentation to be given at the event should also be included.

Please Note: When applying for this award, the candidate must designate which category they are applying for from the three (3) options listed above.

Application Deadline Applications will be evaluated by a member review team composed of APS Foundation Representative Lawrence E. Datnoff, Louisiana State University, as chair and an additional two members. Send all required materials as outlined in this description as one PDF file via e-mail to Datnoff (LDatnoff@agcenter.lsu.edu) by February 5, 2012. Applicants will be notified of the award decision by February 25, 2012. These guidelines are also available at www.apsnet.org/ members/foundation/apply/Pages/FrenchMonar.aspx.

Questions? Please contact Datnoff at +1.225.578.1366 or LDatnoff@agcenter.lsu.edu. n

26 Phytopathology News

Applications for Schroth Faces of the Future Symposium— New Frontiers in Plant Bacteriology Due This Month!

Applications for the Schroth Faces of the Future Symposium awards, created through an endowment established by Milt and Nancy Schroth, are due this month. Four awards are available and will provide funds of $500 each to the selected presenters to help support their travel to the meeting. The 2012 symposium, entitled Schroth Faces of the Future—New Frontiers in Plant Bacteriology, is designed to acknowledge the new faces shaping the future of the field. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. (EST), February 15, 2012. Applications should be submitted as a single-merged PDF document via e-mail to Teresa Hughes; see www.apsnet.org/members/foundation/apply/ Pages/SchrothSymposium.aspx for more information. n

More than 30 Student Travel Awards Available for 2012 Annual Meeting The APS Foundation will be awarding more than 30 students with $500 travel awards to support their attendance at this year’s annual meeting. Applications will be accepted beginning Wednesday, February 15. Based on a competitive process, awards of $500 each will be available to APS student members giving oral or poster presentations at the 2012 APS Annual Meeting in Providence, RI (August 4–8). Students who received an award in 2011 will not be eligible for another award until 2013. If you are interested in applying, go to www.apsnet.org/members/foundation/apply/ Pages/StudentTravelAwards.aspx on February 15 to access the online form. Applications are due on March 21. If you have any questions about this process, please contact Graduate Student Committee Chair Jonathan Jacobs (jmjacobs2@gmail.edu). n

Mycological Herbarium at NCSU Renamed The Mycological Herbarium at North Carolina State University (NCSU) was recently renamed in honor of Larry F. Grand, professor and longtime curator of the herbarium in the Department of Plant Pathology. The Dr. Larry F. Grand Mycological Herbarium Dedication and Symposium was held November 3 in Raleigh, NC. Symposium speakers included former alumni and internationally recognized mycologists. Alumni speakers included Deborah R. Fravel, USDA national program leader, plant health, Beltsville, MD, who spoke on “Ug99 stem rust of wheat: An international solution for a global problem”; D. Jean Lodge, USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station Luquillo, Puerto Rico, who spoke on “Hygrophoraceae of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park—How many have misapplied European names?”; and Lee Miller, extension turfgrass pathologist, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, who spoke on “‘Show Me’ the importance of mycological herbaria in guiding future discovery.” Amy Y. Rossman, Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Lab, Belstville, MD, spoke on “The ideal herbarium in a perfect world of science: What would this look like?”

The keynote address, entitled “Diversity and evolution of the wood decay apparatus in saprotrophic Agaricomycotina—How mushrooms changed the world,” was given by David S. Hibbett, Warren Litsky ‘45 endowed chair professor, Department of Biology, Clark University, Worcester, MA. An evening reception at the North Carolina Museum of Science was attended by colleagues, friends, and family of Grand. The symposium and dedication were cochaired and hosted by Marc A. Cubeta, professor, Department of Plant Pathology, and Catherine J. Maxwell, Director of Development, North Carolina Agricultural and Life Sciences Research Foundation. Organizing committee members were Heather Hartzog and Betsy Randall-Schadel, USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST, Raleigh; and Jane Dove Long, James W. Moyer, and Turner B. Sutton, Department of Plant Pathology. To make a gift to the Larry F. Grand Mycological Herbarium in support of undergraduate research in mycology, please contact Maxwell, catherine_ maxwell@ncsu.edu. n

Outreach Needed by March 31: APS Members with Interest in Outreach to Students and Teachers The Office of Public Relations and Outreach (OPRO) is seeking an APS member to join the OPRO Board. If you are a member with an interest in public relations and outreach to high school and undergraduate students and helping to create better public awareness and understanding of plant pathology, please contact Monica Elliott (melliott@ufl.edu), OPRO director, by March 31, 2012.

Visit www.apsnet.org/members/outreach/opro to learn more about OPRO. Graduate students and early career professionals are encouraged to apply. APS covers travel expenses for an in-person OPRO midyear meeting to ensure participation. n

Your Video Could be Worth $500!

The APS Office of Public Relations and Outreach (OPRO) is excited to announce the 2012 Video Contest!

Let your creative juices flow and help to educate the public about the importance of plant diseases and how tiny, microscopic beasties can be the scourge of plants! This year, we have three categories to choose from: • It’s a Microbial World After All: If you wish to create a film based on the pathogen of your choice.

• Central Concepts in Plant Pathology: Can you make an entertaining and informative film on a central theme or concept in plant pathology? What is important for the general public to know?

• What Is a Plant Pathologist? (New for 2012!) Now is your chance to explain your career choice to the world! Consider covering the topics of how to become a plant pathologist, types of jobs you can have as a plant pathologist, and the importance of being a plant pathologist!

Once again, the membership will vote for their favorite videos! Each APS member will be allowed to vote ONE TIME (details to follow in later newsletters). The one entry with the most votes overall will be the grand prize winner and receive $500 and the one entry with the second most votes will be the runner-up and receive $250. The winner of a special Judges Choice Award will also receive $250. Video entries are due on June 1, 2012, by 5 p.m (EST).

Further details and video upload instructions coming soon at www.apsnet.org/members/outreach/ opro/Pages/VideoContest.aspx. Any APS member may submit a video to the contest, even those who have won a prize in previous years. For any individual graduate student or graduate student group that wins a cash prize, the money will be given to the chair of your department for distribution. All other APS members will receive the money with the intention that it will be shared with those involved in the video process. In order to include all APS members in the competition, winners can have the award money given to an affiliated 501(c)(3) non-profit or can donate the award to the APS Foundation. n

International Spinach Conference 2011

Larry F. Grand (center) with the Larry F. Grand Mycological Herbarium Symposium speakers and organizers (left to right) Marc Cubeta, Amy Rossman, Deborah Fravel, Grand, Jean Lodge, David Hibbett, Lee Miller, and James Moyer, department head.

The International Spinach Conference was held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, October 3–4, 2011. The conference was organized by Jim Correll and Shelby Goucher of the University of Arkansas and consisted of a day of professional presentations on various aspects of spinach research and a day for evaluating spinach field trials. An international group of more than 150 people were registered for the conference, including APS members Rick Bennett, Correll, John Damicone, Lindsey du Toit, Chunda Feng, Steve Koike, and Yannis Tzanetakis. For details on the meeting, visit http://spinach.uark.edu/2011Conference.html. n

Phytopathology News 27

Fifth Silicon in Agriculture Conference

Silicon, the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust, is a beneficial element for plant growth and development. Silicon helps plants to overcome various abiotic and biotic stresses.

Unfortunately, the role of silicon in plant growth and development was long overlooked until the beginning of 20th century. Because of the element’s abundance in nature and since visible symptoms of either silicon deficiency or toxicity are not very apparent; plant physiologists have largely disregarded this element from any meaningful plant experiments. However, in the field where plants are constantly exposed to different stresses, especially in soils that are deemed to be low or limiting in plant available silicon, the awareness of silicon deficiency in soil has become recognized as being a limiting factor for crop production. Nowadays, silicon still is not recognized as an essential element for plant growth, but the beneficial effects of this element on the growth, development, yield, and disease resistance have been observed in a wide variety of plant species.

To bring together scientists from a broad range of disciplines related to silicon in agriculture and provide a forum for researchers to exchange new knowledge, ideas, and techniques, Silicon in Agriculture Conferences have been held every three years. Since the first conference in the United States in 1999, the second in Japan in 2002, the third in Brazil in 2005, and the fourth in South Africa, the 5th Silicon in Agriculture Conference was held recently, September 13–18, 2011, in Beijing, China. The event was organized by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and coorganized by the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, the Chinese Society of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer Sciences, and Leading Bio-agricultural Co., Ltd. It was sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Leading Bio-agricultural Co., Ltd., Tisco Harsco Technology Co., Ltd., Agripower Australia Limited, and LF Green.

More than 130 participants attended, representing researchers, teachers, producers, and students from 20 countries that included Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Leading scientists from around the world were invited as plenary or key speakers to provide updates on the status of silicon research in their areas of expertise and included Richard Bélanger (Universite Laval, Canada), Jonas van Bockhaven (Ghent University, Belgium), Kunzheng Cai (South China Agricultural University, China), Lawrence Datnoff (Louisiana State University AgCenter), Joseph Heckman (Rutgers University), Graham Kingston (BSES Limited, Australia), Gaspar Korndörfer (Universidade de Uberlandia, Brazil), Mark Laing (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa), Yongchao Liang (Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China), Jian Feng Ma (Institute of Bioresources, Japan), and Fabrício Rodrigues (Universidade de Vicosa, Brazil).

An abstract of proceedings, entitled 5th Silicon in Agriculture Conference, was published; 59 were presented orally and 31 posters were displayed. During the conference, there were a number of coffee breaks, dinners, and a banquet that included folk music and dancing to allow the participants to socially interact and discuss silicon research. In addition, attendees participated in a field tour to view silicon demonstration trials being conducted in rice.

Silicon is clearly an integral and quantitatively major component of the soil-plant system that exists in nature and agriculture. It plays a major role in the life, performance, and health of plants in the real world, especially in regard to alleviating a number of chemical and physical stresses and enhancing host-plant resistance to diseases and pest. The next meeting will be held in Norway in 2014. n

28 Phytopathology News

Is It Feasible to Use Mycoherbicides for the Control of Illicit Drug Crops?

That was the overarching question posed to a National Academy of Sciences Committee on Mycoherbicides for Eradicating Illicit Drug Crops. Congress directed the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to commission a study of the scientific feasibility of developing mycoherbicides for use against illicit drug crops and ONDCP commissioned the academy’s National Research Council for this study. On November 29, 2011, the report was presented to its sponsor in Washington, DC. The committee was chaired by Raghavan “Charu” Charudattan, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida. Others on the committee included Joan Bennett, Rutgers University; Jerome Cura, The Woods Hole Group, MA; William Fry, Cornell University; Guy Kundsen, University of Idaho; John Leslie, Kansas State University; NuMay Ruby Reed, California Environmental Protection Agency; Judith Rhodes, University of Cincinnati; John Taylor, University of California-Berkeley; David TeBeest, University of Arkansas; Ariena van Bruggen, University of Florida; Maurizio Vurro, National Research Council, Italy; Alan Watson, McGill University, Canada; and Charles Woloshuk, Purdue University. The Academy staff assigned to the study were Susan Martel, Camilla Yandoc Ables, and Janet Mulligan.

Areas of expertise represented included plant pathology, medical mycology, fungal genetics and evolution, microbial ecology, toxicology, environmental risk analysis, and weed science.

Mycoherbicides, which are developed from plant pathogenic fungi that infect specific host plants, have been proposed as a targeted means of preventing or reducing the cultivation of illicit drug crops of cannabis, coca, and opium poppy. The committee’s charge was to examine scientific issues associated with the feasibility of developing and implementing naturally occurring strains of fungi to control the illicit cultivation of the drug crops; ethical or political considerations were outside the committee’s purview.

Specifically, the committee was asked to examine questions about the efficacy of mycoherbicides, their persistence in the environment, the feasibility of their large-scale manufacture and delivery, the potential for mutation, the potential to have detrimental effects on nontarget plants, animals, or humans, and the need for additional research and development. The following pathogens proposed as mycoherbicides were studied in

detail: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp cannabis for cannabis, F. oxysporum f. sp. erythroxyli for coca and Crivellia papaveracea (formerly known as Pleospora papaveracea) and Brachycladium papaveris for opium poppy. The committee concluded that the research done on these pathogens was not adequate to draw conclusions about the feasibility of developing and using them to control illicit drug crops.

The committee found that the degrees of control that might be provided by the proposed mycoherbicides and the mechanisms by which they cause disease have not been established. It is likely that the mycoherbicide strains would persist at some level when introduced into the environment, but no data are available on whether they could persist at densities that provide continuous control.

There are insufficient data to draw conclusions about whether the proposed mycoherbicides would pose a risk to nontarget plants, other microorganisms, animals, or humans.

Therefore, additional research is needed to assess the efficacy and safety of the proposed mycoherbicide strains as well as to develop data for their registration as biopesticides. As an initial step, the report recommends research to study several candidate strains of each fungus to identify the most efficacious under a broad array of environmental conditions. The resulting information would guide formulation development, the appropriate delivery methods, and the scale required to generate enough mycoherbicide products to achieve significant control.

However, conducting the research is not a guarantee that a feasible mycoherbicide product will result. Multiple regulatory requirements must also be met before a mycoherbicide could be deployed and additional regulations and agreements might also be needed before mycoherbicides can be used internationally.

The committee also foresaw some key obstacles to the use of mycoherbicides including likely attempts by drug crop producers to mount countermeasures against the fungal pathogens, difficulties in application, and inability to assess the effectiveness of the mycoherbicides.

The full report is available at www.nap.edu/ catalog.php?record_id=13278. n

Twenty-First Annual Symposium of the Soilborne Plant Diseases Interest Group of South Africa The Soilborne Plant Diseases Unit of the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC’s) Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI) hosted the 21st Interdisciplinary Symposium on Soilborne Plant Diseases September 14–15, 2011, at the Vredenburg Research Centre of the ARC PPRI in Stellenbosch. The topic for this year’s symposium was Advances in Technology and Soilborne Plant Diseases. The event was attended by 63 representatives of research councils, national and provincial departments of agriculture, private companies, universities, and farmers.

The opening address was delivered by Mohammed Karaan (dean, faculty of AgriScience, Stellenbosch University). Pedro Crous (CBS, the Netherlands), Harold Van Es (Cornell University), and Philippe Lucas (INRA, France) delivered keynote addresses.

The following conclusions were reached by the delegates: • Most species and genera of plant-pathogenic fungi are respectively para- and polyphyletic, which has implications for disease control.

• Although morphological evidence is less reliable than DNA data, the former needs to validate the latter.

• Using the latest molecular techniques to identify soilborne plant pathogens can assist in making informed decisions on control methods.

• Progress on using molecular detection methods for soilborne diseases at the grower level has been slow.

• Low-cost near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy has the potential for substituting laboratorybased methods for many physical and biological soil health indicators.

• The application of geographical information systems in plant disease analyses is becoming more popular, precise, and advanced.

• Principal Component Analysis is a very powerful tool in nematological research to study whole nematode communities.

• Epidemiology and modelling are central to describing the processes underlying disease epidemics, to produce their comprehensive organization in time and space, to quantify the damage they cause and the resulting yield losses of the crop.

• Improvement of disease prediction models for diseases caused by Sclerotinia spp., especially under local conditions, needs to be encouraged.

• QTL mapping approaches are highly effective in dissecting host resistance.

• Endemic entomopathogenic nematodes are highly effective against the soil stages of key pests and can be used in integrated pest management systems.

• The agrochemical industry aims to develop products which are effective in controlling pests and diseases, but at the same time have little negative or detrimental effect on the environment and human health.

• Using advanced seed treatment technology should contribute to the realization of optimal yield of commercial crops under environmentally friendly conditions.

• Although current technology heralds a golden opportunity for plant pathology, it means that in many ways we are starting over. n Phytopathology News 29

People Student Degrees Six plant pathology graduates received their doctorate degrees from The Ohio State University (OSU) at the autumn commencement on December 11, 2011, in Columbus—a department record for number of Ph.D. graduates in one term. Graduates, dissertation titles, and faculty advisors are as follows: Daniel J. Anco, “Epidemiological studies of the sporulation potential and environmental factors affecting sporulation of Phomopsis viticola on infected grapevines” (advisors, Mike Ellis and Larry Madden); Margaret L. Ellis, “Soybean seedling disease complex: Pythium spp. and Fusarium graminearum and their management and host resistance” (advisors, Anne Dorrance and Pierce Paul); Melanie L. Ivey, “Assessing microbial risks and management strategies in vegetables” (advisor, Sally Miller); Alissa B. Kriss, “The role of environmental, temporal, and spatial scale on the heterogeneity of Fusarium head blight of wheat” (advisors, Madden and Paul); Chan Ho Park, “The role of ubiquitination in the interaction between rice and Magnaporthe oryzae” (advisor, GuoLiang Wang); Hehe Wang, “Identification and dissection of soybean QTL conferring resistance to Phytophthora sojae” (advisor, Dorrance).

Two doctoral students received their degrees in Summer 2011: Jiye Cheng, “Development of metabolomics strategies for novel natural product discovery and its application on the study of soybean defense responses” (advisor, Terry Graham); and Justin Whitehill, “Investigations into mechanisms of ash resistance to the Emerald Ash Borer” (advisor, Pierluigi (Enrico) Bonello). Two M.S. students graduated from OSU’s Plant Pathology Program in 2011: Oscar Burbano Figueroa, “Functional characterization of Magnaporthe oryzae effectors in the infective process of rice” (advisor, Thomas K. Mitchell); and Kate Gearhart (advisor, Dorrance).

Yu Monica Chen completed her Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWM) under the direction of Dennis Halterman. Her dissertation was entitled “Characterization of the broad-spectrum potato late blight resistance gene RB.” Chen is currently a post-doctoral researcher with the USDA-ARS in Madison, WI. Karen Lackerman earned an M.S. degree in plant pathology from UWM with the thesis “Effects of location, cultivar, and disease on soft red winter wheat production and cultivar selection Karen Lackerman in Wisconsin.”

She was advised

by Paul Esker. Following graduation she began an internship studying sugarcane rust at CENICANA Research Center in Colombia with Jorge Victoria, who himself earned a Ph.D. degree from UWM in 1977.

Fanhong Meng earned a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from UWM under the direction of Caitilyn Allen.

Her dissertation was called “Understanding cool virulence of Ralstonia solanacearum race Fanhong Meng 3 biovar 2.” She is currently doing post-doctoral research in the lab of Greg Martin at the Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University.

Jonathan Palmer earned a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology, UWM, under the direction of Nancy Keller. His dissertation was entitled “Global regulatory mechanisms of secondary metabolism and development in Aspergillus spp.”

Palmer is continuing as a post-doc in the Keller lab.

Kneeling (left to right): Anne Dorrance and Mike Ellis; standing: Larry Madden, Hehe Wang, Daniel Anco, Alissa Kriss, Margaret Ellis, Chan Ho Park, GuoLiang Wang, Melanie Ivey, Sally Miller, and Terry L. Niblack, department chair.

30 Phytopathology News

Saori Amaike also earned a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from UWM under the direction of Keller. Her dissertation was entitled “LaeA regulation of secondary metabolites and virulence in Aspergillus flavus.” She will go on to conduct post-doctoral research in California.

Erica Yashiro earned her Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from UWM under the direction of Patricia McManus with a dissertation

entitled “Bacterial community structure and reservoirs of streptomycin resistance in the apple phyllosphere.” Yashiro was awarded a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship for research on the effects of climate change on microbial and plant diversity in the Swiss Alps with Jan Roelof van der Meer at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

Chantel Wilson earned an M.S. degree in plant pathology, UWM. She was advised by James Kerns. Her thesis was titled “Changing the paradigm of dollar spot biology and management.” Wilson is currently employed as a study technician at Covance.

Michelle R. Martin received her M.S. degree in plant pathology in December 2011 from the University of Arkansas. Her thesis research examined molecular and physiological compensation of the barrel medic, Michelle R. Martin Medicago truncatula, in response to both herbivorous insects and a fungal pathogen and was supervised by Ken Korth. Martin demonstrated that, although substantial changes occur in gene expression profiles as chewing insects or a necrotrophic pathogen infest the plant, the barrel medic does not display altered levels of photosynthetic yield. She was awarded a grant in 2011 as part of her selection as a member of the Student Voice group at the National Agricultural Biotechnology Council Meeting in Minneapolis, MN. Martin is currently working in a research lab on biofuel production technologies for ICM, Inc. in St. Joseph, MO. Jennifer Niem has successfully completed her study for an M.S. degree in plant pathology at Washington State University (WSU).

Her dissertation was on soilborne potato pathogens.

These pathogens respond differently Jennifer Niem to soil flooding.

Niem investigated the survival of the sclerotia and microsclerotia of two potato pathogens, Sclerotinia and Verticillium, under greenhouse and field conditions. Her research showed that flooding to eliminate S. sclerotiorum is a promising method of controlling the primary inoculum of white mold in potato fields of western Washington but not for fields with

high incidence of Verticillium wilt. Flooding is a potential management practice that not only addresses agronomic but ecological issues as well by creating habitat for shorebirds and other wetland-dependent species as a viable rotation option for farmland. Niem’s supervisory committee included Debra Inglis (chair), Dennis Johnson, and Tim Paulitz.

Axel Elling participated in Niem’s final defense. Before she came to WSU, she received a B.S. degree in agriculture with a major in plant pathology and an M.S. degree in plant pathology with a minor in biochemistry from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños.

Niem wishes to contribute to agricultural development specifically in the management of pest and diseases through plant pathological research in her home country.

New Positions During 2011, the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida (UF) hired five new faculty members, including the chair. Recently, they reported the arrival of Erica Goss, Gul Shad Ali, and Brantlee Spakes Richter. The department is now pleased to report that Rosemary Loria joined the department as chair in August 2011.

Loria comes from the Department of Plant Pathology at Rosemary Loria Cornell University (CU), where she has had experience in extension, research, and administration. She is currently transferring her world-renowned research on the molecular genetics of plant-pathogenic Streptomyces species from CU to UF. Loria received her Ph.D. degree from Michigan State University in 1980 under the guidance of A. L. Jones and immediately joined the faculty at CU as an assistant professor in plant pathology. She became a professor in 1996 and was the chair of the CU Plant Pathology Department from 1999 to 2004. She received the APS Ruth Allen Award in 2010. In November 2011, Matthew Smith started as assistant professor in mycology at UF. He has a research (60%), teaching (10%), and extension (30%) appointment and will maintain Matthew Smith the mycological herbarium. Smith received his Ph.D. degree in ecology under the guidance of David Rizzo from the University of California (UC)-Davis in 2006. He briefly studied nematode-trapping fungi with Bruce Jaffee (also at UC-Davis) and

then spent 2007–2009 as a Farlow post-doctoral fellow in Donald Pfister’s lab at Harvard University. Since 2009, Smith has been a postdoctoral scientist in the lab of Rytas Vilgalys at Duke University. The department welcomes all of its new faculty and the chair to UF and looks forward to a bright and productive future in a re-invigorated department!

soybeans, Cercospora kikuchii, with regard to time of infection, growth, and development of the pathogen during the crop season and the molecular mechanism underlying cercosporin biosynthesis.

Collaboration Maricelis Acevedo, assistant professor, North Dakota State University (NDSU), visited the Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University (WSU), November 16–18, 2011. She was hosted by Xianming Chen, research plant pathologist, USDA-ARS, and adjunct professor, the Department of Plant Pathology. At WSU, Acevedo visited Chen’s lab and the ARS Genotype Lab, headed by Deven See, research geneticist, USDA-ARS, and adjunct faculty, the Department of Plant Pathology. She exchanged research information with Scot Hulbert and Tim Murray, professors of the Department of Plant Pathology, and Mike Pumphrey and Arron Carter, wheat breeders in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. Acevedo’s research interests are rust pathogen virulence evolution and the utilization of host resistance to manage cereal rusts. Her basic research emphasizes the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying rust pathogen virulence and host resistance. Her applied research focuses on the genetics of resistance to leaf and stem rust in wheat. During her visit to WSU, Acevedo presented a seminar entitled “Looking for the who, how, when and where: A multidisciplinary, concreted approach to cereal rust research at NDSU.” She also had a great discussion with graduate students on research, teaching, and career development.

Xianming Chen, Maricelis Acevedo, and Roland Line

Awards Ashok Chanda, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology at Louisiana State University (LSU) and the LSU AgCenter, recently won the prestigious C. W. Edgerton Award. He was nominated by his coadvisors, Z. Y. Chen and R. W. Schneider. He won this award for his outstanding academic and professional achievements, especially his significant contributions toward our understanding of the causal agent of Cercospora leaf blight of

R. W. Schneider (left) presenting the award to Ashok Chanda.

In November 2011, Jacque Fletcher, regents professor of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University, was honored with the Phoenix Award for Graduate Faculty.

This Graduate Jacque Fletcher and Professional Student Government Association award honors an outstanding graduate faculty member who embodies the character of leadership, scholarship, and university and community service and involvement with graduate and/or professional students.

Charles Overstreet, professor of plant pathology in the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, received the prestigious Floyd S. Edmiston Extension Award Charles Overstreet for helping farmers and gardeners improve their management of nematodes. This award is administered through the LSU Alumni Association in honor of Floyd S. Edmiston, a former Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service (LCES) professional. This award promotes scholarship and excellence within the LCES and is given annually to the extension professional who has demonstrated outstanding or distinguished service to the mission of the LSU AgCenter and to the citizens of Louisiana.

People continued on page 32 Phytopathology News 31

People continued from page 31

Presentations Fred Crowe, emeritus plant pathologist in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University, visited the Department of Plant Pathology of Washington State University (WSU) Fred Crowe in Pullman on November 1, 2011. Crowe presented a seminar, “Garlic production in the U.S. and how diseases shape the industry.” Growe’s visit was hosted

by Frank Dugan and Tim Paulitz, both research plant pathologists of USDA-ARS and adjunct professors of the Department of Plant Pathology, WSU. Pullman is the location of the USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System’s garlic and ornamental/wild Allium collection. Various ARS personnel and WSU faculty, including Dugan, conduct research on Allium diseases. Crowe’s seminar was followed by extensive discussion, including lunch with students. Crowe resides in Dayton, WA, where his very active retirement includes consulting activities.

Lindsey du Toit, associate professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, was invited by the American Seed Trade Association to speak at a United States/ Mexico Organic Seed Workshop in Lindsey du Toit Merida, Mexico, on October 21, 2011. The workshop was attended by about 30 representatives from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service and USDA National Organic Program; American Seed Trade Association; state and federal organic inspection and trade organizations; seed industry representatives from Mexico, the United States, and Europe; representatives of Mexican agricultural and phytosanitary regulatory agencies; and seed consultants. The objectives of the workshop were to develop a better understanding of the organic production system and regulations in Mexico and the phytosanitary issues that impact availability of organic seed in Mexico; and to develop a strategy for adoption of appropriate, feasible phytosanitary import measures for organic and nontreated seed to fulfill the needs of the organic production market in Mexico. du Toit gave a presentation entitled “Research on organic seed treatments: Spinach as a case study.”

32 Phytopathology News

Karl Maramorosch, the Robert L. Starkey professor of microbiology and emeritus professor of entomology at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, was the invited plenary speaker at the Second International Phytoplasmology Workshop in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany, September 12–15, 2011. The conference was organized by Assunta Bertaccini, Bologna, Italy, and all abstracts were published on 303 pages of the Bulletin of Insectology, vol. 64, 2011, and distributed to the participants from 46 countries.

The volume contains Maramorosch’s inaugural article “Historical reminiscences of phytoplasma discovery” and several articles by Ing Ming Lee, USDA, Beltsville, MD. On September 24, the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW) honored Maramorosch, a Wolf Prize laureate, by a special symposium on “Molecular Biology in Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology.” Maramorosch received his M.S. degree at that university in 1938. The Committee of Microbiology of the Polish Academy of Sciences published a book with pictures of Maramorosch, his parents, and family members; his CV from Wikipedia; and the text of his lecture “Albert Schatz, the forgotten discoverer of streptomycin.” Additionally, November 16–19, Maramorosch was an invited participant at the World Science Forum (WSF) in Budapest, Hungary, and plenary speaker at Corvin University, where he addressed the Postgraduate International Network, delivering a one-hour lecture “From laboratory to the tropics: Failure and success.”

At WSF, a second Wolf Prize laureate, APS plant virologist Roger N. Beachy, the founding president of the Ronald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO, was the invited speaker in the thematic session discussing Brazil’s “Sustainable Food Production.”

Roger N. Beachy (Left) and Karl Maramorosch

Mark Mazzola, research plant pathologist with USDA-ARS and adjunct professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, gave an invited seminar in the Department of Horticulture at Mark Mazzola Cornell University, Ithaca, on October 24, 2011. His seminar was on “Biofumigation: It may be more about soil

biology than fumigation.” He met with graduate students in the department, participated in a round table discussion with those working in the area of replant diseases, and participated in the plant-microbe interactions class taught by Janice Thies, where the class happened to be discussing Mazzola’s 2007 review paper from the Journal of Nematology.

In Memory Richard D. Berger, emeritus professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida (UF), passed away on December 22, 2011, after a long illness. His colleagues and former students remember him as a friendly, quiet, and dedicated researcher Richard D. Berger and teacher, with a unique sense of humor and a tremendous historical knowledge of the development of epidemiological concepts and applications.

Berger voiced and published many original, innovative, and sometimes controversial ideas about temporal and spatial dynamics of plant diseases. He trained six M.S. and eight Ph.D. students on the principles and practice of plant disease epidemiology in addition to teaching an introductory course in Plant Disease Control and a course in Epidemiology at the graduate level.

Dr. Berger was born in Pennsylvania in 1934, grew up on a farm, and received his B.S. degree from Kutztown State College, PA, in 1955.

He then served in the U.S. Army as a research assistant doing research on rice blast in the biological warfare laboratories in Frederick, MD. There, he developed an interest in and understanding of plant disease epidemiology, so that he continued with graduate studies in plant pathology at the University of Wisconsin, where he earned a Ph.D. degree in 1962. His first position in plant pathology was that of extension plant pathologist at the Pennsylvania State University. Next, he became assistant and later associate professor at the Everglades Research and Education Center of UF in Belle Glade, FL. In 1976, he and his family moved to the main campus of UF in Gainesville, FL, where he taught the epidemiology course, maintained a successful research program, and mentored graduate students for many years.

An interest unrelated to epidemiology was his fascination of Cercospora taxonomy. For a few years, Dr. Berger was also the interim department chair for the Department of Plant Pathology. Dr. Berger retired in 2003, but continued to teach epidemiology until 2006.

Dr. Berger was an active member of APS, serving as chair or member of the Epidemiology, IPDM, and the Crop Loss Assessment and

Dr. Berger’s research interest was in quantitative epidemiology, particularly the intensification of disease in time and space. He worked on many pathosystems, including leaf spots on beans, soybeans, celery, citrus, roses, turf grass, sweet corn and oats, root and bulb pathogens on onions or garlic to weed pathogens, that could be used as biological control agents. Dr. Berger and his graduate students developed models and simulators to help interpret the peculiarities of natural epidemics, and these models were used to devise ways to better manage plant diseases. They used a wide array of experimental techniques, including electronic probes to measure micro- and macroclimate variables, light interception, infra-red reflection, leaf area meters, and video imagery, to assess effects of the environment on disease development and the amount of host stress caused by disease and other factors. Dr. Berger published about 100 scientific papers, mostly in APS journals.

Dr. Berger is missed by epidemiologists worldwide, plant pathologists in the United States, and colleagues, students, and growers in Florida. However, he left behind an important legacy of theoretical concepts, practical information, and excellent lecture notes, which will be used for many years to come.

Dr. Berger is survived by his wife Joyce, son Dan and daughter Tina, a sister and two brothers, and four grandchildren.

The author for this submission is Ariena van Bruggen, professor of plant disease epidemiology, Dept. of Plant Pathology and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, with special thanks to Larry Madden and Terry Davoli for editorial assistance. The article published here is an abbreviated version of the original submission, to view the in-depth obituary visit www. apsnet.org/publications/phytopathologynews/ obituaries/Pages/BergerRichardD.aspx. n

Teaching plant bacteriology just got easier.

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“The information presented provides a great introduction into plant bacteriology and provides an excellent information base for the students to then build upon and delve into more details on various subjects using the current literature. I highly recommend the use of Plant Bacteriology written by Dr. Clarence Kado as a basic reference book for phytobacteriology courses.”

— Brenda K. Schroeder, Phytobacteriologist Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University

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Risk Evaluation Committees. He was also a member of the Florida State Horticultural Society and of the American Peanut Research and Education Association. He was senior and associate editor of Phytopathology, assigning and senior editor of Plant Disease, and associate editor of Phytoprotection. He served on the Editorial Committee of the Annual Review of Phytopathology.

Phytopathology News 33

Classifieds

NEW

R&D Agronomist Black Gold Farms in Grand Forks, ND, has a position for an R&D agronomist. This new position has been created to accommodate the current and future projected growth of our company and will be responsible for directing Black Gold’s agronomic research and development initiatives. Responsibilities of this position include 1) direct field research activities, including planning and implementing field research trials, supervising data collection/analyses for internal publication, and providing interpretation of this data; 2) direct variety development projects; this entails evaluating field trials and current data, attending customer-related conferences, acting as a liaison between companies, and corresponding among growers, seed companies, and universities for development of new varieties; and 3) supporting Black Gold employees/the company via communication with industry members and academia experts; evaluate outside research; provide technical guidance on all agronomic-related issues; participate in crop planning; evaluate current agronomic processes for effectiveness; and assist with agronomic training/educational events. A Ph.D. in a related degree is preferred with at least 3 years research and technical writing experience. Experience using statistical software/Microsoft Office products required.

Potato experience highly desirable, but not required. Apply by e-mailing a cover letter and resume to tami.martin@blackgoldfarms.com; applications are also available online at www. blackgoldfarms.com. The closing date of February 28, 2012, is not adjustable.

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34 Phytopathology News

Post-Doctoral Associate University of Arkansas, Rice Research & Extension Center, has a post-doctoral associate opening. This is a 12-month, nontenure-track position in plant molecular genetics and pathology.

The major objective of this project is to understand evolutionary genomics of weedy species of rice. Major duties include evolutionary analysis of critical rice genes that control weed traits, including disease resistance, stress tolerance, shattering, dormancy, and quality. Standard molecular biology techniques, including DNA fingerprintings using simple sequence repeat, mapping softwares, expression analysis using semiquantitative PCR, real-time PCR, and bioinformatic tools, will be needed. Candidates must have a Ph.D. degree in molecular genetics and pathology, plant genetics, or related field with experience in evolutionary analysis using DNA sequences and molecular markers. Experience in rice molecular genetics, pathologym and QTL mapping is desirable. Applicants must complete the online application to be considered for employment at the University of Arkansas.

Please visit https://jobs.uark.edu and choose “create an application” to begin the process.

Please attach an official college transcript, resume, cover letter, and three letters of references

from knowledgeable associates. For more information, contact Yulin Jia at yulin.jia@ars.usda. gov. Pay is commensurate with qualifications and experience with full university benefits package.

The closing date of this position is February 1, 2012, but is open until the position is filled.

Graduate Student Assistantships University of Florida (UF), Department of Plant Pathology, has graduate student assistantship openings. Research projects range from fundamental mechanisms of plant-microbe interactions to ecology and epidemiology of plant pathogens and applied field research. Research can be carried out both on the main campus and at the research and extension centers throughout the state. An initial lab rotation may be possible, depending on the source of funding. UF offers a balanced and comprehensive graduate program in plant pathology. Students have flexibility to design a unique study program incorporating courses from a variety of programs. Participation in teaching of plant pathology courses is also offered. Qualifications: B.Sc. degree in plant sciences, biology, or related field; GRE scores. Contact the graduate student services coordinator, Jessica Ulloa, at julloA@ufl.edu or +1.352.273.4369. Pay scale is $20,000–$22,000 annual assistantship plus tuition fee waiver for 2–4 years (M.S. or Ph.D. students). This position is open until filled.

Eastern Oregon Plant Pathologist Oregon State University/Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center seeks a full-time post-doctoral scholar to work on the biology and management of ergot (Claviceps purpurea). Grass seed growers located in the Columbia Basin of Washington and Oregon have experienced increasing levels of ergot in their Kentucky Blue Grass and Perennial Rye Grass plantings. Significant economic losses occur from field infection and additional losses occur from excessive seed cleaning. Control through use of fungicides at flowering has been marginal at best. A study of observed variation in ergot severity with respect to elevation could enhance our understanding of ergot biology and provide useful information for future control. In addition, quantifying the spatial and temporal dynamics of ergot spread, determining the importance of in-field inoculum, and assessing new and/or old products or methods for the control of this pathogen are needed.

Ph.D. degree in plant pathology required. Experience in field research, fungal pathogens, laboratory techniques, statistics, and good communication skills are desired. CV, copy of transcripts, and three letters of recommendation should be sent directly to Philip B. Hamm, Oregon State University, 2121 South First Street, Hermiston, OR 97838, or electronically to philip.b.hamm@ oregonstate.edu. Pay scale is $37,740 to $45,000 annually. Closing date for applicants is January 25, 2012. Position will remain open until filled. n

APS Journal Articles Phytopathology February 2012, Volume 102, Number 2 Colonization of Tomato Seedlings by Bioluminescent Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis Under Different Humidity Regimes.

Comparative Effect of Low Temperature on Virulence and Twitching Motility of Ralstonia solanacearum Strains Present in Florida.

AHL Signals Induce Rubrifacine Production in a bruI Mutant of Brenneria rubrifaciens.

Use of a Climatic Rule and Fuzzy Sets to Model Geographic Distribution of Climatic Risk for European Canker (Neonectria galligena) of Apple.

The Role of Rain in Dispersal of the Primary Inoculum of Plasmopara viticola.

Resistance to Alternaria solani in Hybrids Between a Solanum tuberosum Haploid and S. raphanifolium.

Identification and Fine-Mapping of Xa33, a Novel Gene for Resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.

Molecular Identification of Two Vegetative Compatibility Groups of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae.

A Rapid, Sensitive, and Cost-Efficient Assay to Estimate Viability of Potato Cyst Nematodes.

Mitochondrial Haplotype Analysis for Differentiation of Isolates of Phytophthora cinnamomi.

Molecular Characterization, Ecology, and Epidemiology of a Novel Tymovirus in Asclepias viridis from Oklahoma.

Plant Disease February 2012, Volume 96, Number 2 Sweetpotato Viruses: 15 Years of Progress on Understanding and Managing Complex Diseases.

Role of Polyphenol Oxidase, Peroxidase, Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase, Chlorogenic Acid, and Total Soluble Phenols in Resistance of Potatoes to Soft Rot. Genetic Diversity of a Brazilian Strain Collection of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri Based on the Type III Effector Protein Genes.

Biology and Sources of Inoculum of Geotrichum candidum Causing Sour Rot of Peach and Nectarine Fruit in California.

Assessment of Application Timing of Bacillus spp. to Suppress Pre- and Postharvest Diseases of Apple.

Effect of Application Frequency and Reduced Rates of Acibenzolar-S-Methyl on the Field Efficacy of Induced Resistance Against Bacterial Spot on Tomato.

Differential Sensitivity to Boscalid in Conidia and Ascospores of Didymella bryoniae and Frequency of Boscalid-Insensitive Isolates in South Carolina.

Efficacy and Application Strategies for Propiconazole as a New Postharvest Fungicide for Managing Sour Rot and Green Mold of Citrus Fruit.

Distribution of Viruses Infecting Cucurbit Crops and Isolation of Potential New Virus-Like Sequences from Weeds in Oklahoma.

Virulence of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Isolated from Naturally Infested Pine Forests to Five Resistant Families of Pinus thunbergii.

Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for Detection of Pectobacterium wasabiae Using YD Repeat Protein Gene-Based Primers.

A Rapid, Sensitive Assay for Ralstonia solanacearum

Race 3 Biovar 2 in Plant and Soil Samples Using Magnetic Beads and Real-Time PCR. Survival, Host–Pathogen Interaction, and Management of Macrophomina phaseolina on Strawberry in Israel.

Silicon Reduces Black Sigatoka Development in Banana.

Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight and Deoxynivalenol Accumulation in Virginia Barley.

Calendula officinalis: A New Natural Host of Pseudomonas viridiflava in Italy.

First Report of Bacterial Streak of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) in California Caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. apii.

First Report of a New Disease of Onion in Georgia Caused by a Nonfluorescent Pseudomonas Species.

First Report of Agrobacterium vitis as the Causal Agent of Grapevine Crown Gall in Serbia.

First Report of Mango Malformation Disease Caused

by Fusarium mangiferae in Spain.

First Report of Leaf Blight and Stem Canker of Pachysandra terminalis Caused by Pseudonectria pachysandricola in Korea.

First Report of Black Spots on Avocado Fruit Caused

by Neofusicoccum parvum in Mexico.

First Report of Curvularia lunata on Jatropha curcas in Mexico.

First Report of Damping-Off on Basella rubra Caused

by Rhizoctonia solani Anastomosis Group 4 in Florida.

First Report of Twig Canker on Peach Caused by Phomopsis amygdali in China.

First Asian Report of Leaf Spot of Ambrosia trifida Caused by Septoria epambrosiae.

First Report of Leaf Spot Disease on Schisandra chinensis Caused by Phoma glomerata in China.

First Report of Fusarium proliferatum Causing Rot of Garlic Bulbs (Allium sativum) in India.

First Report of Diplodia seriata as Causal Agent of Olive Dieback in Croatia.

First Report of Stem Bleeding in Coconut Caused by Ceratocystis paradoxa in Hainan, China.

First Report of Embellisia allii Causing Skin Blotch and Bulb Canker on Garlic in California.

Powdery Mildew Caused by Golovinomyces orontii on Creeping Bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides) in Italy.

First Report of a Bionectria sp. Associated with a Stem Rot of Cardon Cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

First Report of Kalanchoe Leaf Scorch Caused by Stemphylium xanthosomatis in Korea.

First Report of Leaf Blight of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) Caused by Phytophthora colocasiae in Ghana.

First Report of Colletotrichum sansevieriae Causing Anthracnose of Sansevieria trifasciata in Florida.

First Report of Wet Rot of Withania somnifera Caused

by Choanephora cucurbitarum in India.

First Report of Root Rot Caused by Fusarium solani on Benincasa hispida in the United States.

First Report of Basella rugose mosaic virus Infecting Four O’Clock (Mirabilis jalapa) in China.

First Record of Alfalfa mosaic virus in Teucrium fruticans in Italy.

First Report of Natural Infection of Pea (Pisum sativum) by Tomato spotted wilt virus in Hungary.

First Report of Alfalfa mosaic virus Infecting Basil (Ocimum basilicum) in California.

First Report of Turnip mosaic virus in Tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica) in California.

First Report of Citrus tristeza virus in National Germplasm of Citrus in Afghanistan.

First Report of the Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne arenaria on Cheeseweed Mallow (Malva parviflora) in the United States.

Discovery of Potato Rot Nematode, Ditylenchus destructor, Infesting Garlic in Ontario, Canada.

First Report of Ginseng (Panax ginseng) as a Natural Host of Dodder (Cuscuta japonica) in China.

MPMI February 2012, Volume 25, Number 2 Modulation of Host Immunity by Beneficial Microbes.

The Cucumber vein yellowing virus Silencing Suppressor P1b Can Functionally Replace HCPro in Plum pox virus Infection in a Host-Specific Manner.

Diffusible Signal Factor-Mediated Quorum Sensing Plays a Central Role in Coordinating Gene Expression of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri.

A Highly Conserved Effector in Fusarium oxysporum Is Required for Full Virulence on Arabidopsis.

Flagella Mediate Endophytic Competence Rather Than Act as MAMPS in Rice–Azoarcus sp. Strain BH72 Interactions.

Silencing and Heterologous Expression of ppo-2 Indicate a Specific Function of a Single Polyphenol Oxidase Isoform in Resistance of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato.

Photorespiratory Metabolism and Nodule Function: Behavior of Lotus japonicus Mutants Deficient in Plastid Glutamine Synthetase.

Congruent Genetic Structure in the Lichen-Forming Fungus Lobaria pulmonaria and Its Green-Algal Photobiont.

The Type III Effector HsvG of the Gall-Forming Pantoea agglomerans Mediates Expression of the Host Gene HSVGT. Burkholderia phytofirmans PsJN Primes Vitis vinifera L. and Confers a Better Tolerance to Low Nonfreezing Temperatures.

A Plant Arabinogalactan-Like Glycoprotein Promotes a Novel Type of Polar Surface Attachment by Rhizobium leguminosarum.

The Aquaporin TcAQP1 of the Desert Truffle Terfezia claveryi Is a Membrane Pore for Water and CO2 Transport.

Plant Management Network www.plantmanagementnetwork.org Plant Health Progress Peanut Genotype and Seeding Rate Effects on Spotted Wilt.

Myrothecium roridum Leaf Spot and Stem Canker on Watermelon in the Southern Great Plains: Possible Factors for its Outbreak.

Real-time PCR Detection of Rhodococcus fascians and Discovery of New Plants Associated with R. fascians in Pennsylvania.

Documentation of an Extended Latent Infection Period by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, The Soybean Rust Pathogen.

Evaluation of Soybean Genotypes for Resistance to Three Seed-borne Diseases. n Phytopathology News 35

PERIODICALS

News The American Phytopathological Society 3340 Pilot Knob Road St. Paul, MN 55121 United States of America

Calendar of Events

Other Upcoming Events

February 2012

March 2012 1-3 — Second International Symposium of Bio-Pesticides and Eco-Toxicological Network.

Bangkok, Thailand. www.isbiopen.sci.ku.ac.th/contact_us.html

APS Sponsored Events 5-6 — APS Southern Division Meeting.

Birmingham, AL. www.apsnet.org/members/ divisions/south/meetings 13-15 — Human Pathogens on Plants Workshop. Hyattsville, MD. www.apsnet.org/ meetings/humanpathogenplants March 2012 14-16 — APS Potomac Division Meeting.

Winchester, VA. www.apsnet.org/members/divisions/pot April 2012 15-18 — APS Caribbean Division Meeting.

South Padre Island, TX. www.apsnet.org/ members/divisions/carib/meetings June 2012 13-15 — APS North Central Division Meeting. Wooster, OH. www.apsnet.org/members/divisions/nc 27-29 — APS Pacific Division Meeting.

Sacramento, CA. www.apsnet.org/members/divisions/pac August 2012 4-8 — APS Annual Meeting. Providence, RI. www.apsnet.org/meetings/annual APS Northeastern Division Meeting will be joint with the APS Annual Meeting Upcoming APS Annual Meetings August 10-14, 2013 — Austin, TX. August 9-13, 2014 — Minneapolis, MN.

20-22 — Joint Meeting of the 58th Annual Conference on Soilborne Plant Pathogens and the 44th Annual California Nematology Workshop. San Marino, CA. http://soilfungus.ars.usda.gov April 2012 22-26 — Ascochyta 2012: The 3rd International Ascochyta Workshop. Córdoba, Spain. www.ascochyta.org May 2012 20-24 — Bouyoucos Conference on the Advances in Research on Soil Biological, Chemical, and Physical Properties for Sustainable Constructed Rootzones.

Philadelphia, PA. www.constructedrootzones.org 21-25 — 4th International Workshop for Phytophthora, Pythium, and Phytopythium.

University of Maryland, College Park, MD. www.psla.umd.edu/faculty/Balci/workshop2011/ index.cfm June 2012 18-21 — Eighth International Workshop on Grapevine Trunk Diseases. Valencia, Spain. www.upv.es/gihf/iwgtd

July 2012 1-5 — Plant and Canopy Architecture Impact on Disease Epidemiology and Pest Development.

Rennes, France. https://colloque.inra.fr/ epidemiology_canopy_architecture 29-August 2 — XV Intl. Congress on MPMI. Kyoto, Japan. www.ismpminet.org August 2012 26-29 — 20th Iranian Plant Protection Congress. Shiraz, Iran. www.20thippc.ir September 2012 9-14 — Sixth Meeting of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Working Party 7-02-09 “Phytophthora in Forests and Natural Ecosystems.” Córdoba, Spain. http://iufrophytophthora2012.org November 2012 25 — Third International Symposium on Biological Control of Plant Bacterial Diseases.

Agadir, Morocco. www.iavcha.ac.ma/biocontrol2012 April 2013 22-26 — ISAA 2013—10th International Symposium on Adjuvants for Agrochemicals.

Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil. http://events.isaaonline.org August 2013 25-30 — 10th International Congress of Plant Pathology. Beijing, China. www.icppbj2013.org n

For the most current listing go to www.apsnet.org/meetings/meetingcalendar.