www.apsnet.org
Aug-Sept 2011 • Volume 45 • Number 8
APS Announces New Internal Communications Officer David M. Gadoury, senior research associate in the Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, Cornell University (CU), has been appointed internal communication officer (ICO) for a three-year term. Gadoury succeeds Danise Beadle, research scientist at Bayer Crop Science, who served as ICO for the previous six years.
David M. Gadoury
Gadoury admits to being a bit intimidated at the prospect of following Beadle in the role of ICO, particularly after shadowing her for one year as part of training for the position. “Danise exhibits a level of organization and professionalism that I hope I can maintain. She is remarkably persuasive, as she was the one who contacted me regarding the position last year, and smart enough to not tell me precisely how hard she was working as ICO.”
“APS Council and Headquarters staff truly are admirable groups,” he added. “It’s an honor to be asked to join them, and I’m looking forward to working with both over the next three years.” Gadoury will serve as ICO through 2014. The ICO oversees the communication and accomplishment of tasks and action items of APS Council, serves as a member of the Executive Committee, and with APS Announces New Internal Communications Officer continued on page 129
Nominate Your Colleagues Who Deserve Special Recognition for 2012 APS Awards The call is now being made for 2012 APS and APS-sponsored award nominations to be presented in Providence, RI, at the 2012 APS Annual Meeting. Nominations are open for all major APS awards as listed below and must be submitted on or before November 1, 2011. • • • • • •
Award of Distinction Fellow Distinguished Service Award Excellence in Extension Award Excellence in Industry Award Excellence in Regulatory Affairs and Crop Security • Excellence in Teaching Award
• International Service Award • Ruth Allen Award • William Boright Hewitt and Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt Award • Lee M. Hutchins Award • Noel T. Keen Award for Research Excellence in Molecular Plant Pathology • Syngenta Award
Complete instructions and guidelines for submitting an award package are available at the link below. Please note there is a new Nomination Form for inclusion in the package. The submission page link is included in the instructions at www.apsnet.org/members/awards/Pages/AwardsCallfornominations. aspx. n
News Strong Impact Factor Report for APS Journals The new impact factors for Phytopathology (2.428) and Plant Disease (2.397) show an increase for the second year in a row and MPMI surpassed 4.0 again this year, according to the ISI Journal Citation Reports, published June 28, 2011. The impact factors are measures of the average number of times recent articles in a specific journal are cited by others. The Five-Year Impact Factors increased for Phytopathology (2.728), and Plant Disease (2.444) rose for the third year in a row. This measure is determined by looking at one year of citations to five years of articles. The Journal Half-Life Rating of MPMI increased to 6.9 years this year and Phytopathology and Plant Disease are again both greater than 10 years. This rating is based upon the number of journal publication years, going back from the current year, that account for 50% of the total citations received by the cited journal in the current year. This shows that the research published in APS journals remains relevant and important to others in our science over an extended lifespan. The society thanks all the members who publish their research results in the nonprofit APS journals, helping to make us the leader in plant pathology research. Not only do your contributions make an impact on your science, they also help support the mission of the society. n
Hawaii Highlights Coming Soon… The October 2011 issue of Phytopathology News will include photos and updates of the 2011 APS-IPPC Joint Meeting in Honolulu, HI. Until then, check out meeting photos that were posted by members on the APS Facebook page (www. facebook.com/group.php?gid=9947802369) and daily photos taken during the meeting available at www.apsnet.org/meet. Mark your calendar now for the 2012 Annual Meeting, to be held August 4–8, 2012, in Providence, RI. n
In this Issue Editor’s Corner ........................................ 126 Letters to the Editor ................................ 127 President’s Message .................................. 128 Public Policy Update ............................... 130
Outreach ................................................. 131 Division News ......................................... 134 People ..................................................... 137
Classifieds ................................................ 141 APS Journal Articles ................................ 142 Calendar of Events .................................. 144
www.apsnet.org
Aug-Sept 2011 • Volume 45 • Number 8
News
Editor-in-Chief: Doug Jardine Managing Editor: Michelle Bjerkness Editor: Amanda Aranowski Design: Agnes Walker Advertising Sales: Karen Deuschle
Editor’s Corner Weathering the Weather Doug Jardine, Kansas State University, PhytoNewsEditor@scisoc.org As I write this column, I have just completed a week-long tour of Kansas to assess disease levels in this year’s crops. Interestingly enough, one of the things that I was thinking about as I drove around the state was the disease triangle, or more specifically, the effect of environment on crop disease.
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 $69 U.S./$81 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 October 2011 issue is August 15, 2011.
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: Niklaus J. GrÜnwald 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: Anton B. Baudoin Board and Office Chairs and Directors APS Foundation Chair: Ray D. Martyn Divisional Forum Chair: George W. Sundin PPB Chair: Jan E. Leach Publications Board Chair: Anthony P. Keinath 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: Russell J. Tweddell Vice President: Beth K. Gugino Secretary-Treasurer: Christian A. Wyenandt 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
126 Phytopathology News
Doug Jardine
In northeast Kansas, where they have been fortunate enough to catch many of the rains that caused record flooding in the upper Missouri River basin, the corn crop looks terrific and may surpass a 200 bushel average without irrigation. Within the crop, wet weather diseases, such as gray leaf spot, were thriving and frogeye leaf spot, another moisture-loving disease, was beginning to appear in the blooming soybeans. And while the wheat has been harvested, reports of ergot, another wet weather disease, continue to be received.
As I headed south of Interstate 70 on the east side of the state, the effects of this summer’s record heat and drought rapidly became evident. In an area that roughly includes the entire southeastern quadrant of the state, I could not find a single corn field that did not have some level of Aspergillus ear mold in it, a disease favored by hot, humid, and droughty conditions. In some fields, the infection level reached 50%. Of course, this particular disease is associated with aflatoxin and it remains to be seen just how big a headache this will be for producers as they proceed with harvest. Moving westward through the southern half of the state, the drought becomes profound. Soybeans were rapidly succumbing to charcoal rot and Aspergillus was not a problem in the dryland corn since the plants simply died before producing an ear. Since September 2010, Sublette, KS, has received a total of 2 inches of precipitation. How does one even grow a crop with 2 inches of rain in 10 months? And while Kansas is bad, there are places in Oklahoma and Texas where the drought is even more severe. According to official records, in the southern Great Plains, it is now drier than it was in the dust bowl days of the 1930s. Thankfully, through modern soil conservation practices, we have been able to keep the soil in place. So, within a single state and a single growing season, we are simultaneously battling both wet weather and drought-induced diseases. It’s no wonder that my last column on the challenges of field research received more comments than all of my previous columns combined. Here in Kansas in 2011, numerous research plots have already been abandoned and, given the extended weather forecast, it is likely to get worse. n
2010 Art in Phytopathology Submission: TMV-Infected Tobacco Venkatesan Parkunan, Citrus Research and Education Center, Florida TMV is one of my favorite pathogens. I got this picture long before my Ph.D. research from a tobacco field. I thought the mosaic pattern was really cool with the transparent effect as I took the picture with light passing through the leaves. While I kept playing around with this picture in Adobe Photoshop I came up with the idea to just cut down the letters T, M, and V through the mosaic pattern and make a mosaic of the letters, TMV. I thought it came out to be wonderful. n
Letters to the Editor Get into the Fields I thoroughly enjoyed your editorial on “The Woes of Field Research,” [see July 2011 Phytopathology News] and would like to see you follow it up again in the future. Not only are there few field pathologists being released into the world, but I feel there is something else you might want to comment on in the future. And that is finding a research niche for new graduates. In the U.S. rice community, I have observed that most of the research has gone molecular. This type of research lacks a field level analysis of complex traits and has resulted in an ever-increasing gap between basic and applied research. Within this gap lies a niche for those trained across disciplines. Only so many simple characters can be evaluated in the lab or greenhouse. Ultimately, the plant and pathogen have to go to the field, and someone needs to be there to see which one wins. To quote Norman Borlaug, “To be able to produce, you need to get out of the offices, get into the fields, get your hands dirty and sweat…It is the only language that the soil and the plants understand.” My colleagues and I really enjoyed the “you might be a field researcher” comments; especially the comment about the tape measure in the wind. Two years ago we not only had to measure off plots in gale force winds, but gave lessons at the same time on the Pythagorean Theorem with a 300-ft tape to technicians who had apparently skipped at least one class of geometry. a 2 + b2 = “Why are we measuring diagonally across this plot?” Steven Brooks Plant Pathologist, RiceTec, Inc., Alvin, TX
You Might Be a Field Researcher… Doug, I found myself smiling as I read your recent article, “The Woes of Field Research” in the recent issue of Phytopathology News. I truly appreciated the piece and always enjoy your perspective. From my experience, I would add a few more: If you have ever had your plot markers mysteriously disappear, you might be a field researcher. If you have ever had rabbits, raccoons, or antelope (fill in the blank with any other local fauna) harvest your plots before you, you might be a field researcher. Keep up the great work! Jeff Miller Miller Research LLC, Rupert, ID
AC Diagnostics, Inc. We Believe In Diagnostics ELISA tests for 300 plant pathogens New Products: Immunocapture PCR Kits, Food Safety Tests, and Lab Equipments with 100% customer satisfaction. Please contact us for more detailed information www.acdiainc.com; (479) 595-0320; infor@acdiainc.com
COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT
Early Career Professionals Teresa Hughes, Early Career Professionals Committee Chair, hughestj@purdue.edu Our academic experiences teach us how to think as scientists, conduct experiments, critically evaluate data, and write up our results. However, what is often missing from our education is information on how to take our newly acquired knowledge and apply for, obtain, and succeed in careers in academia, government, or industry. The mission of the Early Career Professionals Committee (ECPC) is to provide individuals obtaining their degrees within 10 years of graduation with this information and facilitate professional growth. Although the ECPC is one of the newer committees of APS (established in 2003 as the Young Professionals Committee), it has quickly become a mainstay for many in our society. Thanks to the collective contributions of current and past members, the ECPC has successfully developed and organized workshops and symposia that address a number of concerns and informational gaps experienced by those of us at the beginning stages of our careers. Included among these have been workshops on “Finding Grant Opportunities and Writing a Successful Grant Proposal” and “Preparing for a Job Interview in the Private, Academic, and Government Sectors of Plant Pathology.” At the 2010 Annual Meeting, the ECPC social became the first of its kind by incorporating an employer networking opportunity. By inviting employers from industry, academia, and government to the social, we were able to provide a relaxed environment where participants could socialize with potential employers and hear, firsthand, about the knowledge and experience they are looking for. In addition to fulfilling our mission, the ECPC also organizes and sponsors the “Schroth Faces of the Future” symposium. This symposium, established through an endowment from Milt and Nancy Schroth, acknowledges the “up and comers” in four areas of research: nematology, mycology, bacteriology, and virology. The speakers selected for these awards are chosen through the collaborative efforts of members of the ECPC and select subject matter committees. Individuals interested in serving as a member are invited to e-mail the current committee chair, Teresa Hughes (hughestj@purdue. edu), or vice chair, Christopher Wallis (christopher.wallis@ars.usda.gov). n Phytopathology News 127
President’s Message The Evolution of Plant Pathology—Will APS Become Our Center of Origin? John Sherwood, Immediate Past President, sherwood@uga.edu As this comes to press in Phytopathology News, I will have just completed my year as APS president. First, I want to thank the support of the professional staff at APS Headquarters, fellow members of APS Council, John Sherwood individuals who have willingly taken on committee and board appointments, and the remainder of the APS membership for their support during my term as president. I also want to thank the leadership in each of the APS Divisions that I was able to get to know as I participated in division meetings this past year (all but the Pacific Division that will meet at the joint meeting in Hawaii). I was tremendously pleased at each of the division meetings with the depth and breadth of the student presentations and the vastness of science now covered by the enterprise that we call plant pathology. During this first year of the new governance structure, short “postcards” of accomplishments of APS Council have been used to try to keep members informed of council’s activities rather than narratives from the president. Please let APS officers know if there may be more effective ways for information to reach you. As council moved to more strategic discussions this past year, there has been much said about the future of our discipline as the impact of the economic downturn came to fruition on the budgets of our home institutions and favorite funding agencies. As I indicated, the breadth of topics covered in student presentations in division meetings this past year makes it clear how much science falls under the umbrella of plant pathology. I imagine that each of you remembers reading in introductory biology or genetics about Darwin’s finches in the Galapagos and their variability and adaptation as they explored new feeding niches. Since the discipline of plant pathology emerged in the mid-nineteenth century, there has been variation and adaptation in what plant pathologists do as well. The variation in what plant pathologists do has grown as methodologies to study the environment, host and pathogen, and the three components of the disease triangle have developed and been adapted by plant pathologists to answer questions related to plant health. Can we go as far to say that the discipline of plant pathology has become too specialized 128 Phytopathology News
and dispersed to no longer be considered a single “species”? The well noted J. C. Walker in 1963, in the inaugural issue of Annual Review of Phytopathology, raised concern about “specialty” groups, suggesting “we are already showing signs of building a tower of Babel within our science, wherein plant pathologists will not understand each other’s lingo, to say nothing of their techniques and their philosophies. This must not happen.” Perhaps this was a reasonable concern in the launch of a new Annual Review series on plant pathology, for which the editorial committee indicated in the preface that one purpose of the articles in the series was the need to provide an “integration of knowledge.” About the time that the Annual Review of Phytopathology came on the scene, the books Silent Spring by Rachel Carson published in 1962 and The Population Bomb by Paul Ehrlich published in 1968 caused quite a stir. In Silent Spring, it was argued that the use of pesticides was irreversibly negatively impacting animals, birds, and humans; and this book has been widely credited with helping launch the
4:125-139). In his analysis, Martyn reported that since the mid-1970s there had been a drop of 47% in the number of departments that were identified solely as a department of plant pathology, with the number of departments at the time of publication at 16. He found “in 2008 at least 10 of the 53 departments surveyed no longer offered a graduate degree in plant pa thology and many more offered only an ‘area of specialization’ in plant pathology.” Is this an indication that plant pathology as a distinct academic discipline has run its usefulness as a course of study at U.S. institutions? It would certainly appear to be the case for plant pathology as an undergraduate major since there are less than a handful of institutions that offer an undergraduate major in plant pathology in the United States. What does the future look like for the availability of courses of study leading to advanced degrees in plant pathology, and will they prepare an adequate number of professionals with the appropriate capabilities? As I indicated above, the relatively recent self examination of the status of plant pathology programmatic infrastructure comes at a time when the numbers on sustaining life on earth
APS is a member-driven organization that can continue to serve as a metaphorical center of origin for plant pathology as it serves as a common ground for all plant pathologists… environmental movement and Earth Day in 1970. The Population Bomb warned of potential mass human starvations and associated social upheavals in the 1970s and 1980s due to overpopulation, thus advocating immediate action to limit population growth. There are likely different perspectives on if we are better off or worse than nearly 50 years ago, but once again similar perspectives on a bleak future can be read today. For several years, APS has engaged in several activities to look at the future of our discipline. This began with significant efforts by James MacDonald and David Gadoury on examining many aspects of education and attracting students to plant pathology and the demographics of those currently engaged in plant pathology (Plant Disease 93:1228-1237; 93:1238-1251). Additionally, Ray Martyn examined the changes that have occurred in the number of departments of plant pathology and in the organization of departments that offer programs in plant pathology (Plant Protect. Sci.
have once again become recurring headlines in the news. Many sources propose that by 2050 there may be up to 10.5 billion people on earth. Currently there are about 7.68 billion acres of arable land in the world (see http://one-simpleidea.com/Environment1.htm) supporting a population of approximately 7 billion people. One fairly dated sustainability figure (1994, http://dieoff.org/page40.htm) suggests it takes 1.2 acres to support an individual. While we are likely more efficient producers of food and fiber since 1994, are we beginning to be at that tipping point of sustainability? If so, what will life be like by 2050? In addition to considering just the availability of arable land, ownership has become a significant issue. The March 3, 2011, New York Times reported “prices for agricultural land surge across America’s grain belt” increasing as much as 23% in a year and possibly a new real estate bubble. In a June 8, 2011, article in The Guardian, it indicated that “major American universities
are working through British hedge funds and European financial speculators to buy or lease vast areas of African farmland.” Chinese and Middle Eastern firms have previously been identified as “grabbing” large tracts of land in developing countries to grow cheap food for home populations. It is interesting to note that in March of this year, the oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, noted “Now, for $7 trillion (roughly all the gold in the world), there are roughly a billion acres of farmland in the United States. They’re valued at about $2 1/2 trillion. You could have all the farmland in the United States, you could have about seven ExxonMobiles, and you could have $1 trillion of walking around money. And if you offered me the choice of looking at some 67-foot cube of gold and looking at it all day, you know, I mean touching it and fondling it occasionally, you know, and then saying, you know, `Do something for me,’ and it says, `I don’t do anything. I just stand here and look pretty.’ And the alternative to that was to have all the farmland of the country, everything, cotton, corn, soybeans, seven Exxon Mobiles. Just think of that. Add $1 trillion of walking around money. I, you know, maybe call me crazy but I’ll take the farmland and the Exxon Mobiles.” So, while gold may be worth quite a bit, real value appears to be in having a place to grow food and the energy necessary for living. Finally, in the June 13, 2011, issue of Time magazine, it was predicted that by 2030, and depending on the impact of climate change, the cost of the basic staples of paddy rice will increase between 72–107%, of wheat by 53– 82%, of corn from 71 to 126%, and processed rice from 34 to 48%. For developing countries where a high percentage of income currently goes to food, these increases would likely be impossible to address. Who will be there to meet these challenges? And will there be opportunities and resources to address these challenges? In looking at graduate enrollment tracked by NSF (www. nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf10320) from 1999 to 2008, there was a 28.7% increase in graduate enrollment in science and engineering. Unfortunately, plant pathology is lumped with other plant-related disciplines tracked by NSF, but using graduate student and postdoctorate membership in APS as a metric, student members and post-doctoral members in APS increased by 38.8% and 72.1%, from 2000 to 2010, respectively. Hence, although as a cohort the number of graduate students and post-doctorates in plant pathology may not independently be a big enough blip on the NSF radar screen, there has been significant growth in the number of students and postdoctorates who potentially find plant pathology an inviting vocational option. Perhaps as in the 1960s student engagement is being built on the expectation that their career will make a better society.
Walker (1963) ended his treatise on the future of plant pathology with a positive perspective: “de Bary and his contemporaries started us off on a fabulous journey in 1863. We have nothing to be ashamed of. There are many stimulating challenges in the century ahead. Plant pathology will be in the forefront of biological sciences in 2063, and 100 volumes of the Annual Review of Phytopathology will bear witness to steady progress all along the way.” We are nearly halfway through the hundred years started in 1963 with the first Annual Review of Phytopathology, and many of you will determine what happens during this next 50 as we close the book on where plant pathology will be 200 years since de Bary. So, I would like to leave you with a set of challenges to ponder that I believe are facing our profession as we complete the next 50 years of a century of Annual Reviews of Phytopathology. 1. Departments of plant pathology that had offered undergraduate programs generally had small undergraduate enrollments (<20) which eventually led to their closure as larger cohorts became the preferred metric for undergraduate programs. Is there a similar perspective envisioned for graduate programs in the future? What are and will be the metrics for department structure and focus in the future? APS members need to engage university administrators to assure that regardless of unit structure plant pathology programs will be in place. 2. Given that the goal areas of NIFA (Climate Change, Bioenergy, Food Safety, Nutrition and Childhood Obesity, and Global Food Security) are very broad in scope, do landgrant colleges and universities, and thus programs and departments generally unique to land-grant colleges and universities, such as plant pathology, have a significant niche in the NIFA mission? APS members need to engage
federal officials so opportunities and support are available for plant pathology programs. 3. What skill set and breadth of experiential learning does industry envision as necessary for the successful “plant pathologist” candidate in industry? Does an incumbent need to be specifically labeled a “plant pathologist” to meet future needs of industry, or is there sufficient in-house training to develop capable individuals to where they need to be? APS members need to engage industry leaders so that scientists skilled in plant pathology are also prepared for other aspects of the industrial world. 4. What role should scientific societies play in facilitating strong disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs and activities at academic institutions? Are there specific areas in academic, extension, and research programs where scientific societies might have a beneficial or harmful role to the mission of the institution? APS members need to be engaged in APS so that the society best serves you. There will always be a need for plant pathologists. Hence, my request is that APS members stay engaged in their workplace, in policy discussions, and in APS. It is up to us to make sure it is known that plant pathology is the science that addresses issues in plant health. If history is an indication of the future, institutions and departments will continue to morph under pressures not necessarily led by those in the unit. APS will morph as members provide input. APS is a member-driven organization that can continue to serve as a metaphorical center of origin for plant pathology as it serves as a common ground for all plant pathologists although we will effectively radiate out to new environments and fill the niches of plant pathology much like Darwin’s finches. Once again, I thank you for the opportunity to serve as APS president during the previous year. n
APS Announces New Internal Communications Officer continued from page 125
the presidential lineage of APS, develops strategic plans for the society. As the name of the office implies, the ICO also coordinates communications and dissemination of information within APS Council and among council and various committees, boards, and offices, the membership of APS, other scientific societies, and the general public. Gadoury received his B.S. degree from the University of Rhode Island and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in plant pathology from the University of New Hampshire. He joined the department at CU in 1985. An overall goal of his research has been to identify those areas of pathogen biology, ecology, and epidemiology that are poorly understood and which severely constrain improvements in disease management programs. The research frequently spans disciplinary, institutional, and international boundaries. Current areas of interest include survival of the intercrop period and development of ontogenic resistance, particularly in powdery and downy mildews. He has been a member of APS for 33 years, actively involved in reviewing and carrying out various editorial duties for APS journals. He chaired an ad hoc committee on the future of the profession for three successive APS presidents, shared the APS Lee Hutchins Award with Roger Pearson in 1991, and was elected fellow of APS in 2007. In addition to his appointment at CU, Gadoury is also a member of the faculty of the National Agricultural Research Service in Norway (Bioforsk). n
Phytopathology News 129
Public Policy Update Establishing a Supercontainment Facility: A USDA, APHIS-PPQ Pilot Program Melanie Lewis Ivey, PPB Intern, ivey.14@osu.edu, and Margaret (Peg) Redinbaugh, peg.redinbaugh@ars.usda.gov The objective of the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is to protect the health and value of American agriculture and natural resources. APHIS uses its umbrella of protection Melanie Lewis Ivey to assure its customers and stakeholders that it is rigorously monitoring against the introduction or re-emergence of both animal and plant pests and diseases that could limit production and damage export markets. Plant pests and pathogens are monitored and regulated by APHIS through the use of plant protection and quarantine (PPQ) permits and facility inspections. The current multistep process of receiving a permit for importation or interstate movement of plant pathogens or infected plant tissue or soil can take from one to three months, depending on the risk level of the pathogen and the availability of federal and state inspectors and requires the following steps: 1) researcher development of a standard operating procedure (SOP) for working with the requested pathogen and application submission; 2) APHIS-PPQ review of application for completeness and evaluation of pest risk; 3) APHIS inspection of facilities to be used for containment and mitigation of risk; 4) state department of agriculture consultation, inspection, and response; 5) development of permit conditions and agreement to permit conditions by permittee; and 6) issue of final permit. This process is required for all permit requests and by all persons requesting a permit. In departments and facilities where several plant pathologists are each working with a number of permitted organisms, the inspection process can quickly become repetitive, with multiple facility inspections within a very short period of time. In the spring of 2010, in collaboration with Michael Kenney, biocontainment scientist, USDA-APHIS-PPQ, the Department of Plant Pathology at The Ohio State University (OSU) Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) participated in a year-long pilot program aimed at streamlining the federal and state facility-inspection process. The
130 Phytopathology News
objective of the pilot program was to improve the efficiency of the inspection process through the use of a risk-assessment process. In short, the goal was to establish a supercontainment facility for working with plant pathogens. At the start of the program, the entire facility, including labs, greenhouses, growth chambers, and surrounding environments, was assessed by both federal and state inspectors for potential risk factors that could lead to the release of a permitted plant pathogen into the environment. Following the assessment, the inspectors identified areas and procedures within and surrounding the facility that were potential risk factors. In collaboration with departmental and OARDC administration, corrective measures were taken to reduce any identified risks. The second step in the pilot program was to develop a manual that included departmental general operating procedures (GOPs) and SOPs for the various types of pathogens, plant products, and insect vectors that are studied in the department. The manual also contains facility infrastructure maps and color images of structures or equipment specific to the containment facility. A copy of the manual can be downloaded from the OSU Department of Plant Pathologyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at go.osu.edu/ D7c. The final step in the pilot program was to establish a containment director position and a training program within the department. The containment directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibilities include monitoring the containment facilities, maintaining copies of all APHIS-PPQ permits held within the department, providing copies of the department manual to new students and employees, and organizing and recording annual training sessions. The purpose of the training sessions is to ensure that all employees are familiar with the procedures required to work with permitted organisms and to update employees with changes associated with working with permitted organisms. Once all of these steps were completed, the facility was re-inspected by a local APHIS plant health safeguarding specialist to ensure compliance with recommended changes. From our perspective, the supercontainment facility pilot program was a success. Some of the benefits to our department are listed below. 1. Recommendations on infrastructure and procedures that improved the overall security and functionality of our facility.
2. Elimination of multiple re-inspections for the permits applied for during the period of the pilot program, resulting in less time required to issue permits. 3. Improved communication between permit holders and federal and state inspectors. 4. Development of a comprehensive and dynamic manual that allows for efficient documentation of minor changes and/or additions to our facility, thereby eliminating the need for additional on-site visits from APHIS personnel. In addition to these benefits, we took this opportunity to coordinate our institutional inspections with the APHIS-PPQ inspection. Before the start of the pilot program the OARDC Environmental Health and Safety Office had no official guidelines for inspecting facilities using permitted plant pathogens or insect vectors. The OARDC inspection team worked with us and the local APHIS plant health safeguarding specialist to develop guidelines that were suitable to the unique requirements for containing plant pathogens and vectors. We are currently working to coordinate our annual institutional inspection with the APHIS-PPQ inspection. Lastly, an unforeseen benefit of the pilot program was a rapid emergency response to a tornado that hit our campus in the fall of 2010. Because of the pilot program, the federal and state inspectors were very familiar with our containment greenhouse facilities, knew what permits were associated with our facilities, and understood our emergency response procedure. As a result, we were able to rapidly satisfy the regulatory agencies and ourselves that no accidental release of permitted pathogens had occurred. The relationship also facilitated the re-opening of our containment greenhouses within two short months of the tornado. It is our hope that this program will continue, and we encourage USDA-APHIS to proceed with what we see as a highly successful program in the future. n
APS Announces Its First-Ever Field Crops Rust Symposium APS is proud to announce the creation of the first-ever Field Crops Rust Symposium to be held December 14–16, 2011, in San Antonio, TX. The primary purpose of this symposium is to “circle the wagons” among the scientific community and compare notes, exchange ideas, and forge new relationships. Field crops rust diseases have become more important in recent years. Specifically, new concerns have surfaced with diseases, such as wheat stem rust, new races of wheat stripe rust, southern corn rust, soybean rust, and sugarcane rust, which demand that the scientific community make strategic advances—rapidly and on multiple fronts. The keynote address for the symposium will be given by Philip Pardey from the University of Minnesota, concerning “Rust Diseases Within the Larger Context of Food Security.” The lecture will help the audience understand the fundamental issues related to food security and the hazards impacting global food production.
Outreach Plant Pathology Videos Win ChloroFilms Video Contest The Office of Public Relations and Outreach (OPRO) annually sponsors the APS Video Contest. In 2010, the winning videos of the APS contest were also submitted to the ChloroFilms video contest. ChloroFilms, www.chlorofilms.org, is a nonprofit project aiming “to promote the creation of fresh, attention-getting, and informative video content about plant life and to make the best of these videos easy to find from a single website.” The winners for ChloroFilms contest number four were recently announced, and APS-sponsored videos won two prizes.
The Field Crops Rust Symposium Program Committee, chaired by Erick DeWolf of Kansas State University, has developed a program that will encourage cross pollination of ideas and discussion among the field crops rust scientific community. Watch for other meeting highlights coming soon. n
Tomato Disease and Insect Pest Diagnostics Workshop in Ghana
“The Role of Recognition in Host-Parasite Interactions” produced by the University of California-Davis was the first-prize winner.
“Pythium Suppression and Vermicomposting” produced by Cornell University was a second-prize winner.
Twenty-one scientists from Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone participated in the IPM Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) Tomato Disease and Insect Pest Diagnostics Workshop at the University of Ghana (UG), Legon Biotechnology Center, June 20–24. The goal of the workshop was to increase technical capacity in West Africa for advanced plant disease and insect pest diagnostics. The workshop emphasized hands-on laboratory exercises in PCR, serology, and microscopy as appropriate for identification of pathogens and pests of tomato. Organizers of the workshop, sponsored by USAID through the IPM CRSP West Africa Regional Program, International Plant Diagnostic Network and Plant Virus Global Project, were Sally Miller (The Ohio State University), Bob Gilbertson (University of California-Davis), Don Mullins (Virginia Tech), and Rodney Owosu-Darko and Eric Cornelius (UG). Instructors were, in addition to Miller, Gilbertson, and Cornelius, Carlyle Brewster (Virginia Tech), Lava Kumar (IITA-Ibadan), Joseph Lamptey and Moses Mochiah (Crops Research Institute, Ghana), and Seloame Tatu Nyaku (UG). n
The 2011 APS Video Contest had eight submissions—a record number of entries. Voting was recently completed and winners were announced at the 2011 APS-IPPC Joint Meeting in Hawaii. Check out the APS YouTube Channel, www.youtube.com/plantdisease, to view a host of exciting videos related to plant pathology. Be sure to watch for an article in the October issue of Phytopathology News on the winners of this year’s Video Contest! n
Phytopathology News 131
Response to 2011 APS Membership Survey Shows Increase in Value and Engagement In another showing of involvement of APS membership in guiding the activities of the society, 35% of members participated in the March 2011 APS Membership Satisfaction Survey. This response rate is well above industry standards and a clear sign that the membership is interested in continuing to improve the value and relevance of APS. This survey was the fifth in a series conducted since 1998, in conjunction with the independent research firm Readex Research, to better understand and respond to the needs of APS members. Below are key findings and recommendations.
compared to only 4% who thought it would decrease. About half (52%) responded it would stay the same. Younger and less-tenured regular members, along with student/post-doc members, those in developing countries, and those in
academia, are more likely than others to indicate their APS volunteer time will increase in the next two years. Member feedback on why this volunteer time is fulfilling and rewarding is key to continue the growth in member participation.
Table 1. Value of APS Offerings % rating valuable
Value and Awareness Improvements The results identify the following core set of offerings as providing the highest value to the greatest number of APS members: APSnet, the online journals, the APS Annual Meeting, APS PRESS products, Phytopathology News online, APSnet Feature stories, the online Membership Directory, and the Common Names of Plant Diseases online database (see Table 1 for the response ratings for the top-valued APS products/services). The 2011 results see online delivery of APS content continuing to eclipse print in terms of involvement and value, a trend that shows no sign of changing. Overall awareness of APS offerings has increased since 2007. Members are now more familiar with the APS Foundation and online offerings, including Plant Health Progress, MPMI, Plant Disease, Phytopathology News, and Phytopathology. Other offerings with more familiarity include Plant Disease Management Reports and the Plant Management Network. A few offerings that are still unfamiliar to many members (41–47%) include newer items, such as division enhancements via the Divisional Forum and APS topical meetings. The activities of three major offices (Office of Industry Relations, Office of International Programs, and the Public Policy Board) were considered unfamiliar (38–42% of members), but all have increased in familiarity by 7–8% since 2007. Helping all members (especially newer members) become knowledgeable about all the activities of the society and the full array of membership benefits that APS offers is challenging. Active Engagement Members are eager to volunteer, and the percentage of members volunteering has increased from 18 to 22%. In addition, members are giving more of their time, with the average number of hours spent as an APS volunteer increasing from 9.6 hours in 2007 to 11.2 hours in 2011. A question new to the 2011 survey asked members if they anticipate their APS volunteer time increasing, staying the same, or decreasing in the next two years. As shown in Table 2, 40% indicated their volunteer time would increase, 132 Phytopathology News
Table 2. Expected Change in APS Volunteer Time
Possibilities Common themes from member comments indicated that important programs of the society need to include advocating for increased funding, supporting members in finding jobs and building careers, and controlling/ reducing membership and meeting costs. Anecdotal evidence in 2007 and 2011 responses suggested rising concern with the viability of the profession itself with specific qualms regarding erosion of funding, diminishing size of academic departments, and the decline in employment prospects.
Table 3. Overall Opinions of APS % agreeing
When presented with an array of possible new initiatives by category (Education, Advocacy, Industry, Publications, and International Programs), members expressed preference for: • Industry: Exploring applications for development of field-trained plant pathologists (55%) • Advocacy: Promoting increased funding for fundamental research and applied questions relevant to agriculture (47%) and promoting an education pipeline that attracts plant pathologists for the future (43%) with a high percentage (43%) of members also expressing a willingness to personally advocate for their profession by contacting national or international policy makers on a periodic basis (three to four times a year) • Publications: Including one to two invited review articles per journal issue to increase impact factor (44%) • Education: Promoting plant sciences indirectly to students by interacting with teachers (43% of core membership supporting) • International Programs: Joint memberships with sister organizations (41%) Overall Evaluations As in past surveys, a series of questions asked for agreement/disagreement with statements about the society. The largest portion of members (95%) agreed that APS is a credible, beneficial source of information and rate the society positively in all other dimensions as well, with above 90% “strongly agree” ratings for: “provides opportunities for scientific communication, effectively promotes knowledge of plant diseases and their control, and is an organization I can trust.” Given continuing high ratings for value (82% agree APS membership is a good value, up 8% from 2007, see Table 3) and membership renewal was likely (90% average rating), it seems clear that APS programs are effectively meeting the diverse needs and interests of the varied membership. Even for the typically vulnerable membership segments, those newest to the society (i.e., “trial” members with less than five years’ tenure), international members, and “early career professionals” (nonstudent members under 35), the average renewal likelihood ratings were 85, 87, and 88%, respectively. If APS were to attend to
any segments with special programs it would tend to be the vulnerable membership segments, but the survey results indicate that APS is balancing the needs and interests of all society members. Understanding member interests and needs is necessary to continue to improve the value and relevance of APS membership for the constantly changing demographics of plant
pathology and must be a key priority for APS. APS Council and key leaders of boards, offices, forums, committees, and journals are utilizing the survey findings to ensure their priorities and activities are in line with member intentions. Membership participation and feedback in this and other surveys is vital for APS to continue to be a valued organization in which members are engaged. n
APS Volunteer Coordinator Needed for NPDRS Program APS seeks a volunteer coordinator to work with USDA on the National Plant Disease Recovery System (NPDRS) program. The basic responsibilities of this position are to 1) preside over two consecutive annual NPDRS workshops (planning and agenda development for the meetings are handled by USDA with the advice of a planning committee for which the APS coordinator is the APS lead); 2) select APS members to participate in the annual workshops (USDA participants are selected by USDA); and 3) select chairs for development of the specific NPDRS recovery plans. The responsibilities of the position would take place immediately but be minimal until the specific schedule for the upcoming NPDRS meetings is determined. The commitment could be for four years if the current schedule of NPDRS meeting alternate years is followed with the next meeting not likely to be scheduled until 2013. The length of appointment could be reduced or extended as the meeting schedule is determined. All of the details of guidance and funding are handled at USDA, but the incumbent is expected to effectively work with USDA personnel, the APS Auxiliary Meetings Board, and APS staff in conducting the workshops. Nominations, including self nominations, are sought by September 30, 2011, and can be sent to msmith@scisoc.org. Applications should consist of a current CV and statement of interest in the NPDRS program not to exceed two pages. For full consideration, applications should be sent to msmith@scisoc.org by October 28, 2011. n Phytopathology News 133
Division News Fostering Extension and Industry Interaction Through the APS Divisions Wade Elmer, Divisional Forum Representative, Northeastern Division, Wade.Elmer@ct.gov One of the many ways the APS Divisional Forum (DF) has proposed to promote and strengthen the divisions is to foster better participation and interaction between the extension and industry components in each division. Joining researchers with extension and industry promotes awareness, stimulates cooperation, and opens up new opportunities for funding and research. One avenue the DF has proposed for achieving this goal was to instigate informal gatherings at the annual meeting of each division. The inspiration for this particular approach was based on the success of the extension/industry meeting currently held at the Northeastern and Potomac Division Annual Meetings. Any member can participate in the meeting and can present information, such as new Wade Elmer disease reports, recent outbreaks, unresolved diagnoses, emerging pests (pathogen or insect), and extension-related problems. Industry members can provide updates on new product lines, label changes, and regulatory issues. Experience has shown that an informal “show and tell” works best. Many members in these divisions consider this meeting to be the most informative part of the annual meeting. To support this initiative, the DF will attend the 2011 extension/industry meeting at the Northeastern Division Meeting at Rutgers University on October 12–14, 2011, to observe how best to advise their own divisions. For information, contact your DF representative or Wade Elmer (Wade.Elmer@ct.gov). You can also download a PDF of the Full Engagement Plan here: www.apsnet.org/members/divisions/ Documents/Divisional_Forum_Engagement_Plan_2011_Final.pdf. n
2011 Northeastern Division Meeting The 2011 meeting of the APS Northeastern Division will be held in conjunction with the 100th anniversary celebration of plant pathology at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, October 12–14, 2011. Call for papers and online registration opened in July 2011. More information on the meeting and the formal invitation from Northeastern Division President Russell Tweddell is available on the division’s website at www.apsnet.org/ members/div/ne. n
Pacific Division Announces 2011 Awardees Congratulations to APS Pacific Division graduate students who were awarded grants by the division for travel to the APS-IPPC Joint Meeting in Honolulu. Winners include Renuka Attanayake (advised by Weidong Chen, Washington State University [WSU]), Deana Baucom (advised by Rebecca Creamer, New Mexico State University), Kaitlyn Bissonnette (advised by Juliet Marshall, University of Idaho), Stephanie Heckert (advised by Jay Pscheidt, Oregon State University); Dipak Sharma Poudyal (advised by Xianming Chen, WSU), Stephanie Slinski and Cassandra Swett (advised by Tom Gordon, University of California-Davis), and Lydia Tymon (advised by Dennis Johnson, WSU). The students received their awards at the Pacific Division Luncheon and Awards Ceremony held on Monday, August 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. during the meeting in Hawaii. n
Digital Resources, Free to Public National Academies Press Now Offering Entire Online Book Catalogue at No Charge The National Academies Press recently announced it would offer its entire PDF catalog of books for free, as files that can be downloaded by anyone. The press is the publishing arm of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council. They publish books and reports that scientists, educators, and policy makers rely on. Barbara Kline Pope, executive director for the press, said it had previously offered 65% of its titles—ones that were narrow in scope—for free. “The 35% that we are adding today will reach a wider audience, and we are doing it because it’s central to our mission to get this information to everyone,” she said. The press has published a set of instructions for downloading the free PDFs available at www. nap.edu/about/about_pdf.html#19.
Massive Plant Protection Thesaurus Available for Free The European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) now offers its free Plant Protection Thesaurus (EPPT) covering organisms important in agriculture and crop protection. Data includes preferred (and other) scientific nomenclature, common names in many languages, taxonomic position, as well as other classifications. EPPO notes that, at present, about 28,000 plant species (wild plants, cultivated plants, and “weeds”), 19,200 animal species (especially insects, mites, and nematodes), and 4,300 microorganisms (including viruses) are listed in EPPT at http:// eppt.eppo.org. The thesaurus includes core data files of the Bayer codes managed in EPPT by EPPO and now considered to be EPPO codes. A licensing arrangement is available for EPPT users who wish to incorporate EPPT core data into a separate information system. (Excerpt from the EPPO/EPPT website.) n
IMPORTANT APS DATES TO REMEMBER October 2011 28 NPDRS coordinator applications due November 2011 1 Nominations due for 2012 APS Awards
134 Phytopathology News
Plant Management Network Launches Focus on Corn Webcast Resource The Plant Management Network (PMN), a nonprofit publisher of applied crop science information, announces the launch of Focus on Corn (www. plantmanagementnetwork.org/foc), its latest resource for growers, consultants, and applied researchers.
The Final Soybean Rust Identification Short Course
After six educational years, the final Soybean Rust Identification Short Course will be held at the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) in Quincy, FL. The meeting will begin on September 21, with a southern hospitalFocus on Corn features webcasts and other science-based informational tools ultimately meant to help practitioners ity welcome dinner at NFREC, and continue protect and manage their corn crops even more effectively. through September 23. This year’s meeting will review all the latest research being conducted on The central feature of Focus on Corn is its 24/7 soybean rust in the United States, as well as proon-demand educational webcasts. University professors vide opportunities to discuss the past, present, and extension specialists recognized for their expertise and future resources available to manage this and research on corn management practices author and disease. The course will have a hands-on field present the webcasts. identification training session and also educate participants about laboratory techniques used to The Focus on Corn resource launched with six starter webcasts. One new webcast will be published confirm the presence of this fungal pest. on Focus on Corn each month. Each of these new webcasts will be open access for a period of at least 60 days. As long as users visit the site monthly to see each new webcast during the open-access The Quincy area is served by the Tallahassee period, all webcasts may be viewed without a subscription. Current freely available webcasts include Regional Airport (TLH) and rides will be the following: arranged to transport participants to and from the hotel and meeting site. Visit the short course • Plant Parasitic Nematodes of Corn by Tamra Jackson, University of Nebraska, Lincoln website for more information and registration at • Residue Management, Nitrogen, and Tillage in Continuous Corn by Emerson Nafziger, www.sepdn.org/meetings or contact Nicholas University of Illinois Dufault at +1.352.273.4623 or nsdufault@ufl. • Weed Competition in Corn by Bill Johnson, Purdue University edu. n • Southern Rust of Corn and Differentiating Between Southern and Common Rusts by Jerald “Snook” Pataky, University of Illinois • Corn Silage Management: Seeding Rate Studies by William J. Cox, Cornell University • Corn Drying by Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University
Call for Nominations for the UMN 2012 E. C. Stakman Award
Focus on Corn is governed by an Editorial Board led by Carl Bradley, assistant professor and extension plant pathologist at the University of Illinois, and Harold Reetz, principal of Reetz Agronomics. Like PMN’s other webcast resources, Focus on Corn’s Editorial Board chooses topics based on The E. C. Stakman Award is granted to the interests and needs of practitioners. They also nominate and confirm speakers based on their individuals of any country or nationality for knowledge and expertise with corn crops, as well as their ability to communicate with growers. outstanding achievements in plant pathology. The award may be given for documented PMN (www.plantmanagementnetwork.org) is a cooperative not-for-profit resource for the applied achievements in the areas of research, teaching, agricultural and horticultural sciences. Together with its industry, university, and nonprofit outreach, international development, or for any partners, PMN provides fast electronic access to crop management solutions for growers and their combination of these areas. Preference will be advisers. PMN focuses on publishing high-quality, applied, and science-based information. PMN given to candidates actively engaged in these is cooperatively managed by the American Society of Agronomy, The American Phytopathological areas; only occasionally will lifetime achievement Society, and the Crop Science Society of America. n awards be considered. Nominations must include a brief biographical sketch of the nominee, a complete curriculum vitae, and two letters from persons who can address the scientific contributions of the candidate. Nominations and supporting materials for the 2012 E. C. Stakman Award are due by December 15, 2011.
Win $1,000 in the Garden Photo Contest! Share your great garden images with the community and enter to win cash prizes! Register for free online and submit your images at www.hortmag.com/gardenphotos. The grand-prize winner will receive $1,000 and a one-year subscription to Horticulture and DavesGarden.com! All winners and runners-up will be published in the upcoming issue of Horticulture and online at Hortmag.com and DavesGarden.com. The five categories for contest entries are Wildlife, Animals, and Insects in the Garden; The Edible Garden; Garden Landscapes; Seasonal Gardens (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter); and People in the Garden. Submit your photos by September 30, 2011. n
Please send your nominations to Carol Ishimaru, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, 495 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108-6030. Applications can also be e-mailed to lages001@ umn.edu. For more information and application materials, please go to the University of Minnesota’s Department of Plant Pathology webpage at http://plpa.cfans.umn.edu/HonorsAwards/ ECStakmanAward/index.htm. n Phytopathology News 135
First Annual Symposium of Zamoranos Alumni of Zamorano University in Honduras, or “Zamoranos,” gathered for the 1st Annual Symposium of Zamoranos in the United States, held at The Ohio State University (OSU), Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster on May 21. The event included more than 50 students and scholars from nine Latin American countries and around the United States, including OSU, Purdue University, Louisiana State University, and Kansas State University (KSU). Zamorano University is an international agricultural university attended by students with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds from throughout Latin America. Many Zamoranos come to the United States to pursue graduate studies or employment in agriculture- and plant-protection-related fields. The purpose of the symposium, which included oral and poster presentations, was to showcase the scientific contributions of Zamoranos and highlight the many mutual benefits between Zamoranos and their U.S. and Latin American connections. Zamorano plant pathologists were active at the symposium, including Jorge David Salgado, a Ph.D. student in plant pathology at OSU, and Christian D. Cruz, OSU alumnus (M.S. 2008) and currently a Ph.D. student in plant pathology at KSU. n
Forty-Seventh SASPP Congress
SASPP Congress delegates in the Berg-en-Dal Conference Centre, Kruger National Park
The 47th Southern African Society for Plant Pathology (SASPP) Congress was held at the Berg-en-Dal Conference Centre in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, from January 23 to January 26, 2011. The congress was organized by the University of Pretoria, CSIR, and Syngenta SA. Theresa Aveling (Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute) was the chair and Quenton Kritzinger (Department of Plant Science) was the secretary of the Organizing Committee. The congress was attended by 198 delegates. Aveling opened the congress Sunday evening followed by the J. E. Vanderplank memorial Theresa Aveling (congress chair) opening the 47th SASPP Congress lecture presented by Chrissie Rey. Of the 12 international delegates attending, five gave keynote addresses, namely Guro Brodal (Norway), Burt Bluhm (United States), Kevin Hyde (United Kingdom), Wojciech Janisiewicz (United States), and Paul Birch (United Kingdom). Marieka Gryzenhout presented the Ethel Mary Doidge Memorial Address. There were a total of 59 oral presentations, of which 32 were presented by postgraduate students, and 66 poster presentations. Social events included a Welcoming Reception on Sunday, January 23, the traditional “John Mildenhall Stakes” on Monday, January 24, and a Conference “Bush Banquet” on Tuesday, January 25. n
Jorge David Salgado, Larry Madden, and Christian D. Cruz.
Honk If You Like Fungi Congratulations to Steven Brooks, winner of the APS bumper sticker contest. Brooks inspired both of the winning bumper stickers given away at this year’s joint meeting. Meeting attendees could pick up “Honk If You Like Fungi” or “Pest or Pathogen or Both?” bumper stickers. Thank you to all the creative minds who gave suggestions for the APS bumper sticker contest. Be sure to proudly display your bumper stickers and share your passion for plant pathology with others! n
136 Phytopathology News
Lindsey du Toit (international delegate from the United States) attempting the “John Mildenhall Stakes”
People Student Degrees/Awards The Ohio State University (OSU) Department of Plant Pathology honored Ph.D. candidates Daniel J. Anco and Gautam S. Shirsekar with the 2011 C. C. Allison Award. The award, which includes a plaque and $800 for each recipient, recognizes high achievement in research and service to the department. Anco’s research, under the guidance of advisors Mike Ellis and Larry Madden, centers on the epidemiology of Phomopsis cane and leaf spot on grape, with the goal of developing a predictive model for the sporulation of Phomopsis viticola on infected grape vines. The overall objective of his research is to improve the timing of early-season fungicide applications for disease control. He was selected as a presenter at the I. E. Melhus Graduate Student Symposium for the 2011 APS-IPPC Joint Meeting and has been active in APS and department activities. Anco’s digital imagery was named Best in Show for the 2010 Art in Phytopathology competition, and he has organized several events and fundraisers for the Plant Pathology Graduate Students Association (PPGSA). Shirsekar is studying with Guo-Liang Wang. His research focuses on understanding the molecular basis of ubiquitination-mediated programmed cell death and defense responses in rice. He was awarded a prestigious University Fellowship in 2006–2007, served as the PPGSA president in 2008, and was the student representative on the department’s Graduate Studies Committee (2007–2008). Shirsekar received an Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center’s SEEDS graduate student grant in 2009 and has served on the program’s review
Mike Ellis, Daniel J. Anco, and Larry Madden
Gautam S. Shirsekar and Guo-Liang Wang
panel. Shirsekar is first author on a 2010 review article “Role of ubiquitination in plant innate immunity and pathogen virulence” in the Journal of Plant Biology (53:10-18) with coauthors L. Dai, Y. Hu, X. Wang, L. Zeng, and G.-L. Wang. Muhammad Bhatti recently completed requirements for an M.S. degree in seed technology and business from Iowa State University (ISU) under the direction of Gary Munkvold. Bhatti is the sixth graduate of the ISU Graduate Program in Seed Technology and Business, an online, nonthesis M.S. degree program launched in 2007 to serve the needs of working professionals in the seed industry and related organizations. Bhatti is currently employed as a cotton pathologist with Monsanto Corp. in St. Louis, MO. Juliane Evans recently completed requirements for an M.S. degree in plant pathology from Washington State University under the supervision of Timothy Murray. Her research project was on genetic variation Juliane Evans in Cephalosporium gramineum, the causal agent of Cephalosporium stripe on wheat, focusing on population structure and reproductive mode of C. gramineum. She determined that asexual reproduction appears to be consistently occurring within C. gramineum among populations tested. She also observed a large amount of morphological and genetic variation with a great number of isolates over time and space. Her supervisory committee included Xianming Chen and Tobin Peever. Evans grew up in Hummelstown, PA, and she earned a B.S. degree in biology from Messiah College, in Grantham, PA. Her future plans are to study veterinary medicine at Oklahoma State University beginning this fall. Andrew V. Gougherty recently completed requirements for his M.Sc. degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Iowa State University (ISU). Gougherty was the recipient of an ISU Research Excellence Andrew V. Gougherty Award for his research “An epidemiological comparison of the U.S. and
Canadian Plum pox virus eradication programs.” This award honors ISU students whose research accomplishments are among the top 10% at ISU in overall quality. Gougherty was also one of four students selected to participate in the prestigious I. E. Melhus Graduate Student Symposium, Today’s Students Making a Difference in the Field of Plant Disease Epidemiology and Disease Management, that was held during the 2011 APS-IPPC Joint Meeting. Gougherty’s major professor was Forrest W. Nutter, Jr. Gougherty is currently working as a research associate in the Department of Plant Pathology and is planning to enter the Peace Corps in the near future. Suraj Gurung recently completed a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the Department of Plant Pathology at North Dakota State University (NDSU), Fargo, ND, under the direction of Tika Adhikari. His dissertation was Suraj Gurung entitled “Genetic diversity of Pyrenophora tritici-repentis and association mapping of tan spot resistance in spring wheat landraces.” Gurung grew up in Siddharthanagar-9, Nepal, and earned his B.Sc. degree in agriculture and an M.S. degree in plant pathology from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Tribhuvan University, Nepal. His M.S. thesis research, carried out under the direction of Sundar M. Shrestha, was “Epidemiology of Cochliobolus sativus and P. tritici-repentis of wheat and characterization of host resistance on wheat.” He received the APS North Central Division Travel Award to attend the division’s annual meeting in Rapid City, SD, in 2010 and the Frank Bain Scholarship from the Department of Plant Pathology, NDSU, in 2010. Gurung was also involved in several research projects that included association mapping of Stagonospora nodorum blotch (SNB), spot blotch, Septoria tritici blotch (STB), and bacterial leaf streak (BLS) of wheat. In addition, he also conducted population genetic analysis of Mycosphaerella graminicola (STB), C. sativus (spot blotch), and Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa (BLS). During his study at NDSU, he was the author and coauthor of 14 papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Gurung is currently working as a post-doctoral scholar at the Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis, and his current research project is focused on “Recurrent migration of Verticillium dahliae: A stealthy and People continued on page 138 Phytopathology News 137
People continued from page 137
pervasive threat to California and U.S. specialty crops” under the supervision of Krishna V. Subbarao at the U.S. Agricultural Research Station, Salinas, CA. Amber L. Hoffstetter graduated from The Ohio State University (OSU) with a B.S. degree in agriculture-plant health management, magna cum laude with honors research distinction. Hoffstetter, from Kinsman, OH, Amber L. Hoffstetter was named one of the 20 Outstanding Seniors in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) in recognition of her academic achievement and student involvement. She was awarded second place in the CFAES Undergraduate Research Forum—Environmental and Plant Sciences Division with her honors thesis project, “Managing gray mold on geraniums with biological fungicides,” and received a Blair F. Janson and Wilmer G. Stover travel scholarship to present her research at the APS North Central Division meeting in Omaha, NE. Her undergraduate advisors were Dennis J. Lewandowski and Thomas K. Mitchell. During her undergraduate career, Hoffstetter served as president of plant pathology’s undergraduate student organization and completed summer internships with Willoway Nurseries, Inc. in Avon, OH, and AgReliant Genetics in Lebanon, IN. After graduation, Hoffstetter will enter the M.S. program in OSU’s Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, where she will study wheat breeding with Clay Sneller at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster. Melanie L. Ivey, a Ph.D. candidate in plant pathology at The Ohio State University (OSU), was awarded a Blair F. Janson and Wilmer G. Stover Travel Award. Ivey is studying with Sally A. Miller at the Ohio Agricultural Research Melanie L. Ivey and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, where she is employed by Miller as a research associate and will be the department’s first student to earn a doctorate while working full time. Ivey’s work in research, teaching, and extension centers on vegetable production practices and food safety, detection of phytopathogen and human pathogens in plant ecosystems, disease diagnostics, and molecular approaches to 138 Phytopathology News
studying taxonomic relationships among plant pathogens. She was awarded an OARDC SEEDS graduate research grant for studies on Escherichia coli O157:H7 on lettuce and an OARDC SEEDS Small Industry Matching Grant for work on angular leaf spot in cucurbits. She is a senior or coauthor on 11 publications and two book chapters from her work in Ohio and is first author on three OSU Extension Fact Sheets. Ivey is currently an APS Public Policy Board intern and very active in APS endeavors. A novel aspect of her dissertation involves incorporating principles from the social sciences to understand how vegetable producers obtain and process agricultural and food safety information to improve the development and delivery of extension resources. Ivey earned a B.Sc. degree from the University of Guelph and an M.Sc. degree from the University of Western Ontario. She has been employed at OARDC since 1999 and is active in OARDC and department programs. Jaimin Patel received a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the Department of Plant Pathology at North Dakota State University (NDSU), Fargo, ND, under the supervision of Tika Adhikari. His Ph.D. research was focused on “Pyrenophora Jaimin Patel tritici-repentis: QoI sensitivity monitoring, partial toxin purification, and tan spot resistance mapping.” Patel grew up in Anand, Gujarat, India, and obtained an M.S. degree in plant pathology from Anand Agricultural University, India. His M.S. research was on “Powdery mildew of mustard and its management.” At NDSU, he received competitive training, such as “new and emerging agricultural pests, diseases, and weeds” at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy; “Oomycetes bioinformatics resources training workshop” at Virginia Tech University (VTU); “mass production of quality bioagents” at Banglore, India; and “laboratory short course on lipid-effector interaction” at VTU. These short-term trainings were supported by external funding. Patel has accepted a postdoctoral scholar position with the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, to work under the direction of G. Shad Ali at IFAS, Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, Apopka, FL. Andrea Payne received an M.S. degree in entomology and plant pathology with a concentration in plant pathology from Oklahoma State University (OSU). Payne’s project was entitled “Evaluation of pecan scab disease management strategies to improve orchard production and reduce pesticide inputs” and focused on improving our understanding of the epidemiology of pecan scab for improving existing disease forecasting systems
and management techniques. Her project was conducted under the supervision of Damon Smith. Payne’s advisory committee included John Damicone and Michael Smith. While pursuing her degree at OSU, Payne achieved several Andrea Payne accolades, including the 2010 Richard L. Gabrielson and Raymond G. Grogan APS Student Travel Award, the 2011 OSU Women’s Faculty Council Excellence and Student Award, Second Place in the Graduate Student Paper Competition at the APS Southern Division meeting in Corpus Christi, TX, and the 2011 OSU Phoenix Award for an outstanding M.S. graduate student. Payne is currently pursuing her Ph.D. degree in plant pathology at OSU. She is studying the epidemiology of warm-season turfgrass diseases. Lina M. Quesada-Ocampo received her Ph.D. degree in plant pathology in December 2010 from Michigan State University (MSU) under the direction of Mary Hausbeck. Her dissertation is entitled “Host range, Lina M. Quesada-Ocampo host resistance, and population structure of Phytophthora capsici.” Quesada-Ocampo has been the recipient of research fellowships to support her studies. The Plant Sciences Fellowship and the A. L. Rogers Endowed Research Scholarship are especially prestigious within the Department of Plant Pathology at MSU and they were awarded to Quesada-Ocampo in acknowledgement of her many research accomplishments. She also received the MSU Paul Taylor Fellowship yearly from 2007 to 2010 and travel awards for the Oomycete Molecular Genetics Workshop and the Oomycete Bioinformatics Workshop. She is currently working as a visiting research associate on functional genomics of Poaceae and Brassicaceae under the direction of C. Robin Buell in the Department of Plant Biology at MSU. Three young junior high and high school students trained in plant-pathology-related projects won top-notch awards at several highly competitive Manitoba Science Fairs in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Ashali Wanigasekera (Acadia Junior High, Grade 9) won a gold medal at the Manitoba School’s Science Symposium (MSSS), a Platinum Award, and a $250 scholarship for Best Investigation (Sr 1-3 category), at the Youth Encouraging Sustainability Showcase (Y.E.S.) and a certificate
of Excellence and Plaque (Sr 1-3 category) at Y.E.S. Her project title was “Bacterial warfare against plant pathogens.” Kanchini Ratnayaka (Acadia Junior High, Grade 7) won the silver medal and $150 at the Sinofi-Aventis Bio-Tech Challenge and a Gold Medal at the MSSS. Her project was entitled “Food safety issues in what you eat.” Deelaka Ratnayaka (Fort Richmond Collegiate, Grade 10) won the Viterra Food Processing Award and $100 at the MSSS and a bronze medal at the same science fair. His project title was “Detection of fungal toxins using PCR techniques.” They were all trained in the lab of Dilantha Fernando, professor, Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, who is keenly interested in training young minds and attracting them to the science of plant pathology and microbiology.
Ashali Wanigasekera, Deelaka Ratnayaka, and Kanchini Ratnayaka
Illinois high school student Andelyn Russell won a Gold Award for her science fair project in plant pathology addressing hydroxamic acid content, drought stress, and resistance to bacteria in corn presented at the Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Science Fair at the University of Illinois. Her project was also chosen for Best in Category for the Senior Division in Botany. Russell noted that experimenting in this area of plant pathology was a wonderful, engaging experience, and she learned more about the scientific process than she ever had before.
High school student Andelyn Russell won Best in Category (botany) at the Illinois State Science Fair for her project in plant pathology.
Awards
Collaboration
Dilantha Fernando, professor, Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba (U of M), Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the recipient of a U of M Merit Award for 2010 for outstanding achievements in teaching, research, Dilantha Fernando and service. Each year, eight academics are selected to receive this award from across all faculties of Life Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Engineering in the combination category. Fernando was selected for his outstanding contributions to teaching and research on wheat and canola pathology, supervising several master’s and Ph.D. students, post-docs, and visiting scientists, publishing three book chapters and 12 peer-reviewed articles, registering two rapeseed cultivars with the canola breeders, and being a coapplicant to a patent. In addition, the award recognized Fernando’s services to professional organizations. Further, the award recognized his invaluable service to the farming communities around the world where he travels often to lecture to undergraduate and graduate students in universities, conduct workshops, and participate in farmer training programs. Fernando has received the Merit Award in 2004, 2006, and 2009.
Natasha Acheampong, international affairs specialist with the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), Washington, DC, visited the Department of Plant Pathology at Washington State University, Pullman. Natasha Acheampong Acheampong serves as an international affairs specialist for the Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellows Program in USDA FAS. The program aims to promote food security and economic growth by increasing scientific knowledge and collaborative research to improve agricultural productivity, by training international agricultural research scientists, faculty, and policy-makers. Acheampong has been with the agency for five years and received her degree in international relations from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. Prior to her appointment with USDA, she was an associate at Greenlee Partners, LLC, and program coordinator at OIC International, a Philadelphiabased not-for-profit organization that provides citizens of the developing world with tools to secure a better future.
Plant biology professor and active APS member Sheng Yang He was named one of the nation’s most innovative plant scientists by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and the Gordon and Betty Moore Sheng Yang He Foundation (GBMF). He was chosen from a list of 239 applicants to become one of 15 HHMI-GBMF plant science investigators. HMI and GBMF collaborated to create this new initiative, which aims to increase funding for fundamental plant science research. In order to increase funding for plant science research, HHMI and GBMF chose 15 plant scientists from across the nation to become HHMI-GBMF investigators. HHMI and GBMF will fund their investigators’ research for the next five years. He’s research focuses on understanding how bacteria infect plants to cause disease, and He hopes it will help plant scientists and farmers reduce disease infections in crop plants. Because many of the weapons plant pathogens use to attack plants are similar to those used by human pathogens, He said his research also is relevant to the study of human health.
John E. Bowman recently joined USAID’s Bureau for Food Security as a senior international affairs specialist. Bowman will be working on the Presidential Initiative known as “Feed the Future” (FtF), serving as a technical expert in horticulture, postharvest losses, food safety, and IPM. He will be managing several of the Collaborative Research Support Programs (CRSPs) and will be helping roll out the FtF country implementation strategies in Africa. Bowman has worked at CIMMYT, CIAT, three multinational agribusiness companies (including PepsiCo), and has more than 17 years of experience managing USAID agricultural projects. Most recently, he managed a USAID poultry supply chain activity in Vietnam that linked small farmers to markets and raised
New Positions
John Bowman on assignment in the Philippines.
People continued on page 140 Phytopathology News 139
People continued from page 139
awareness about avian influenza and food safety. With a new role at USAID focused on crop production, Bowman hopes to once again serve on the Advisory Board of the APS Office of International Programs. Bowman earned a doctorate in plant pathology from the University of Illinois-Urbana under J. B. Sinclair and an M.S. degree from the University of WisconsinMadison under Luis Sequiera. He has worked on agricultural development projects in more than 35 countries. Frank P. Wong was recently named technical service specialist for the northern fungicide business of the United States for the Environmental Science Division of Bayer CropScience LP. Wong received his doctorate in Frank P. Wong plant pathology from Cornell University and his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California (UC) Davis and previously served as an associate specialist in cooperative extension and as a plant pathologist at UC Riverside. He has also served as the APS Public Policy Board subject matter expert working with EPA, providing information on plant diseases and disease management. He is currently a member of the APS Publications Board, the ad hoc committee on innovation and entrepreneurship, and the Pacific Division. Wong will bring his expertise to the technical and research and development team for the fungicide business with a focus on providing solutions for turfgrass diseases. Nicole A. Ward joined the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Kentucky (UK) in August of this year. Ward has a B.S. degree in horticulture science and a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology and crop Nicole A. Ward physiology from Louisiana State University. In her exciting Ph.D. research, under the direction of Raymond Schneider, Ward examined the mycoparasite, Simplicillium lanosoniveum, and investigated its potential for biological control of the soybean rust pathogen, Phakopsora pachyrhizi. Having obtained promising results, she is now exploring licensing by a biotechnology company. Ward also has extensive experience gained from running her own landscape contracting business in New Roads, LA, and as a licensed irrigation technician, arborist, and pesticide applicator. She published 140 Phytopathology News
a monthly newsletter for her clientele and has been a regular contributor to the Baton Rouge City Social. Ward has received numerous prestigious awards, honors, and speaking invitations and is the senior author of the Cercospora leaf blight section in the newly revised Compendium of Soybean Diseases and Pests, Fifth Edition, to be published by APS PRESS. Ward’s extension obligations will focus on woody plants, fruits, and ornamentals. Ward brings an exceptional breadth of knowledge and experience in plant pathology and horticulture to her new position at UK. Presentation Robert Wick, professor of plant pathology in the Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences Department, University of Massachusetts, led a workshop on plant biotechnology and disease diagnostics at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute in Joydebpur, Bangladesh, in January. The goal was to teach Bangladeshi plant pathologists modern biotechnology-based techniques and conventional methods for the accurate diagnosis of plant diseases. The workshop was the result of a grant that Wick received from the Conservation, Food, and Health Foundation. Wick received a Fulbright award to work in Bangladesh in 2006, and has established ongoing relationships there, helping to establish a plant diagnostic clinic and conducting periodic workshops. He has worked in extension and diagnostic plant pathology his entire professional career; primarily with vegetable and ornamental crops and diseases caused by nematodes.
Robert Wick (fourth from left) with BARI workshop participants.
Retirement Jim Percich retired from the University of Minnesota (U of M), Department of Plant Pathology, on January 5, 2011. Percich obtained an M.S. degree in biological sciences from Michigan State University (MSU) in 1969. After Jim Percich teaching high school biology in Detroit, MI, Percich returned to graduate school at MSU, where he obtained a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology in 1975. After
completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, Percich joined the U of M Department of Plant Pathology as a research fellow in 1976 and was appointed assistant professor in 1977. In 1983, he was promoted to associate professor and in 1989 to professor. His initial appointment focused on research into the diseases of wild rice, which was being domesticated as a paddy-grown crop. The focus of much of his research was management of foliar diseases of wild rice that were a consequence of intensive management practices applied in paddy production. From 1982 through 1986, he conducted research on diseases of sugar beets. In 1987, his research responsibilities expanded to include diseases of asparagus, peas, and dry beans. In particular, he focused on control of Aphanomyces root rot of peas. During the period from 1987 through 2010, his research efforts emphasized the management of Fusarium root rots of dry beans that are a particular problem for growers in central Minnesota. In this effort he developed a network of collaborators that included faculty in the Department of Soil Water and Climate and cooperating growers interested in integrated management approaches for improving dry bean yields. His research efforts resulted in the publication of 68 peer-reviewed papers and more than 120 abstracts. Percich was a dedicated and popular instructor who taught and advised graduate and undergraduate students for 33 years of his 34year career at the U of M. As a graduate faculty member, he advised six M.S. and 10 Ph.D. students and taught six different graduate-level courses in applied plant pathology or mycology. These courses included mycology, the biology and ecology of fungi, biology of plant diseases, plant protection compounds, and chemical control of plant diseases. He was also a member of more than 70 graduate committees. Percich was also a committed contributor to the department’s and the college’s undergraduate programs. From 1977 to 1994, he advised undergraduate students in the Plant Pathology Department’s Plant Health Technology Program and Integrated Pest Management Program. His teaching philosophy was based on his view of the plant pathologist as a practitioner of disease diagnosis and disease management methods. In this role he focused on plant pathology in practical “real-world” applications of mycology and plant pathology. This principle motivated his use of the teaching laboratory as an integral component of instruction in plant pathology. His reputation as a graduate instructor was reflected in the popularity of his courses among students in plant pathology, agronomy, and horticulture. In his retirement, Percich plans to spend time in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, continue with his hobby as a photographer, and participate in volunteer work with the Masons and other organizations. He’s also made a commitment to continue the tradition of morning coffees in the Department of Plant Pathology—a tradition that he helped initiate. n
Classifieds
NEW
Post-Doctoral Fellowship—Canola Pathology/Physiology The post-doctoral fellow will take a leadership role for a plant science section of the Marine Bioproducts Research Laboratory. A number of marine bioproducts, including those from seaweeds and marine invertebrates are used in agriculture. These products promote plant growth and impart biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. These beneficial effects are a result of a coordinated biochemical and molecular changes in the plant elicited by these marine bioproducts. The successful candidate will investigate the effect of marine bioproducts on 1) eliciting inducing resistance in canola against stem rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and 2) quantity and quality of canola oil. Research responsibilities will include data collection and analysis, writing reports, proposals and manuscripts, and performing experiments and supervising technical staff and students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate research productivity through publication in relevant refereed journals and through dissemination of results at scientific and industry meetings. Applicants must have a Ph.D. degree in plant science, molecular biology, biochemistry, or microbiology. Demonstrated skills in scientific methodologies and standard molecular techniques and publications in peerreviewed scientific journals are also required. Please quote competition #11-042CH-CB in your cover letter and, if sending via e-mail, in the subject line when applying, and forward to Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Human Resources Consultant, P.O. Box 550, Truro, NS, Canada, B2N 5E3. Fax: +1.902.896.7078; e-mail: NSAC-JobApps@gov.ns.ca. Submissions must be received by midnight on August 18, 2011. For more information about the position, please contact B. Prithiviraj, Department of Environmental Sciences, NSAC, Truro, NS, Canada, B2N 5E3, by phone +1.902.893.6643 or via e-mail at bprithiviraj@ nsac.ca.
& on
SALE!
Post-Doctoral Research Associate—Soybean Breeding and Disease Resistance A post-doctoral research associate position is available at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in the Field Crops Plant Pathology Program in the Department of Plant Pathology. This position is joint between the laboratories of Craig Grau and Paul Esker and collaborates closely with the Soybean Agronomy program of Shawn Conley. Also, the incumbent will have the opportunity to interact and collaborate closely with researchers from several landgrant institutions in the North Central region. Job responsibilities include both research and extension activities related to research regarding breeding for disease resistance to Sclerotinia stem rot of soybean. The candidate should have a strong background in the use of molecular biology tools aimed at studying breeding for disease resistance, including the use of association mapping. Additionally, the incumbent should have a solid understanding of screening methods for disease resistance and statistics. The incumbent is expected to publish research in refereed journals and has the opportunity to contribute to extension knowledge transfer through various channels like newsletters, field days, and grower meetings. The incumbent will work with established faculty members in the development of research and extension interests, including the writing of new grants. Initial funding is available for one year, with renewal contingent on satisfactory performance. A Ph.D. degree in plant pathology, plant breeding, or closely related field, with experience in molecular mechanisms of disease resistance is desired. Submit letter of application describing research interests and professional goals. Please address specific qualifications as highlighted above. Additionally, please provide current CV, transcripts, and names and contact information for three references to Paul Esker, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, e-mail: esker@wisc.edu; phone: +1.608.890.1999. This position is open until a qualified candidate is identified. n More Jobs Online at www.apsnet.org/careers/ jobfind.asp
1.800.328.7560
U.S.A. and Canada (+1.651.454.7250 elsewhere)
#M8581-8/2011
www.shopapspress.org
Phytopathology News 141
APS Journal Articles Phytopathology August 2011, Volume 101, Number 8 Spatiotemporal Colonization of Xylella fastidiosa in its Vector Supports the Role of Egestion in the Inoculation Mechanism of Foregut-Borne Plant Pathogens. Eop1 from a Rubus Strain of Erwinia amylovora Functions as a Host-Range Limiting Factor. Biological Control of Rhizoctonia Root Rot on Bean by Phenazine- and Cyclic Lipopeptide-Producing Pseudomonas CMR12a. Movement of Genotypes of Ceratocystis fimbriata Within and Among Eucalyptus Plantations in Brazil. Effect of Wetness Duration and Temperature on the Development of Anthracnose on Selected Almond Tissues and Comparison of Cultivar Susceptibility. Association of a Novel Pinus monticola Chitinase Gene (PmCh4B) with Quantitative Resistance to Cronartium ribicola. Molecular Characterization of Two Types of Resistance in Sunflower to Plasmopara halstedii, the Causal Agent of Downy Mildew. Molecular Characterization of Boscalid Resistance in Field Isolates of Botrytis cinerea from Apple. Vegetative Compatibility Groups and Parasexual Segregation in Colletotrichum acutatum Isolates Infecting Different Hosts. Comparison of Soil and Corn Kernel Aspergillus flavus Populations: Evidence for Niche Specialization. Histological Mechanisms of the Resistance Conferred by the Ma Gene Against Meloidogyne incognita in Prunus spp. Fusarium Head Blight of Cereals in Denmark: Species Complex and Related Mycotoxins. Cinnamic-Derived Acids Significantly Affect Fusarium graminearum Growth and In Vitro Synthesis of Type B Trichothecenes. Sequence Variability, Recombination Analysis, and Specific Detection of the W Strain of Plum pox virus.
September 2011, Volume 101, Number 9 Combined Use of Biocontrol Agents to Manage Plant Diseases in Theory and Practice. A Numerical Study of Combined Use of Two Biocontrol Agents with Different Biocontrol Mechanisms in Controlling Foliar Pathogens. Tryptophan Regulates Thaxtomin A and Indole-3Acetic Acid Production in Streptomyces scabiei and Modifies Its Interactions with Radish Seedlings. Chemical Compounds Effective Against the Citrus Huanglongbing Bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ In Planta. Baseline Sensitivity of Natural Population and Resistance of Mutants in Phytophthora capsici to Zoxamide. Epidemics of Ray Blight on Pyrethrum are Linked to Seed Contamination and Overwintering Inoculum of Phoma ligulicola var. inoxydabilis. Meta-Analysis of Yield Response of Hybrid Field Corn to Foliar Fungicides in the U.S. Corn Belt. A Test of Taxonomic and Biogeographic Predictivity: Resistance to Potato virus Y in Wild Relatives of the Cultivated Potato. Investigating the Genetic Structure of Phytophthora capsici Populations. Deoxynivalenol Biosynthesis-Related Gene Expression During Wheat Kernel Colonization by Fusarium graminearum.
142 Phytopathology News
Identification of the Molecular Make-Up of the Potato virus Y Strain PVYZ: Genetic Typing of PVYZ-NTN. Association of a Novel DNA Virus with the Grapevine Vein-Clearing and Vine Decline Syndrome.
Plant Disease August 2011, Volume 95, Number 8 Challenges and Successes in Managing Oak Wilt in the United States. Begomoviruses Associated with Bean Golden Mosaic Disease in Nicaragua. Field Damage to Yellow Starthistle Infected by Synchytrium solstitiale, and Greenhouse Maintenance and Host Range of the Fungus. Stem-Pitting Citrus tristeza virus Predominantly Transmitted by the Brown Citrus Aphid from Mixed Infections Containing Non-Stem-Pitting and StemPitting Isolates. Identification of Resistance to Multiple Fungicides in Field Populations of Venturia inaequalis. Occurrence of QoI Resistance and Detection of the G143A Mutation in Michigan Populations of Venturia inaequalis. Physiologic Specialization of Puccinia triticina on Wheat in the United States in 2009. Stem Rust Resistance in A-Genome Diploid Relatives of Wheat. Acquisition and Transmissibility of U.S. Soybean dwarf virus Isolates by the Soybean Aphid, Aphis glycines. Evaluation of Nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum and Pseudomonas fluorescens for Panama Disease Control. Effect of Biochar Amendments on Mycorrhizal Associations and Fusarium Crown and Root Rot of Asparagus in Replant Soils. Efficacy of Four Soil Treatments Against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum Race 4 on Cotton. Toward Fungicidal Management of Laurel Wilt of Avocado. Effect of Foliarly Applied Spirotetramat on Reproduction of Heterodera avenae on Wheat Roots. Influences from Long-Term Crop Rotation, Soil Tillage, and Fertility on the Severity of Rice Grain Smuts. Effect of Application Method and Rate on Residual Efficacy of Mefenoxam and Phosphorous Acid Fungicides in the Control of Pink Rot of Potato. Comparisons of Visual Rust Assessments and DNA Levels of Phakopsora pachyrhizi in Soybean Genotypes Varying in Rust Resistance. Characterization of Phytophthora spp. on Floriculture Crops in North Carolina. Genetic Transformation of Passionflower and Evaluation of R1 and R2 Generations for Resistance to Cowpea aphid borne mosaic virus. Lack of Evidence for Seed Transmission of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter africanus’ Associated with Greening (Huanglongbing) in Citrus in South Africa. First Report of Artichoke Bacterial Stem Rot Caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum in China. First Report of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ Naturally Infecting Tomatoes in the State of Mexico, Mexico. First Report of Bacterial Blight of Crucifers Caused by Pseudomonas cannabina pv. alisalensis in Australia. First Report of Diplodia corticola Causing Branch Cankers on Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) in Florida. First Report of Phytophthora nicotianae on Bulb Onion in the United States.
First Report of Phytophthora Blight Caused by Phytophthora capsici on Snap Bean in New York. First Report of Campylocarpon fasciculare Causing Black Foot Disease of Grapevine in Spain. First Report of Pilidium concavum Causing Tan-Brown Rot on Strawberry Fruit in Belgium. First Report of Buckeye Rot Caused by Phytophthora nicotianae in Tomato in New Mexico. First Report of Myrothecium Leaf Spot of Hemionitis arifolia Caused by Myrothecium roridum in China. First Report of Cladobotryum mycophilum Causing Cobweb on Cultivated King Oyster Mushroom in Spain. First Report of Sclerotinia Stem and Twig Blight Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Citrus volkameriana Rootstock in Italy. Yellow Dryad, a New Host Plant of Colletotrichum acutatum in Switzerland. First Report of Soybean Neocosmospora Stem Rot Caused by Neocosmospora vasinfecta var. vasinfecta in China. First Detection in North America of Virulence in Wheat Leaf Rust (Puccinia triticina) to Seedling Plants of Wheat with Lr21. Neofusicoccum parvum Associated with Grapevine Trunk Diseases in Chile. First Report of Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum navitas on Switchgrass in New York. First Report of Leaf Blight on Calathea picturata Caused by Exserohilum rostratum in Taiwan. First Confirmed Report of Powdery Scab Caused by Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea on Potato in Sri Lanka. Occurrence of Downy Mildew Caused by Peronospora belbahrii on Sweet Basil in Hungary. First Report of Phaeoacremonium mortoniae Associated with Grapevine Decline in Iran. First Report of Soybean Rust Caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi on Pachyrhizus erosus in the United States. First Report of a Root Rot Caused by Phytophthora palmivora on Lavandula angustifolia in Turkey. First Report of the Occurrence of Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus on Oilseed Pumpkin in Serbia. First Report of Pepino mosaic virus Infecting Tomato in Mexico. Identification of Carnation mottle virus from Lisianthus Plants in Taiwan. First Report of Turnip ringspot virus in Field Mustard (Brassica chinensis) in Taiwan.
September 2011, Volume 95, Number 9 Fungal Trunk Pathogens in the Grapevine Propagation Process: Potential Inoculum Sources, Detection, Identification, and Management Strategies. Susceptibility to Laurel Wilt and Disease Incidence in Two Rare Plant Species, Pondberry and Pondspice. Identification, Characterization, and Distribution of Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus in Vietnam. Specific and Sensitive Detection of Enterobacter mori Using Reliable RT-PCR. Control of Sphaeropsis Rot in Stored Apple Fruit Caused by Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens with Postharvest Fungicides. Variation in Phenotypic Characteristics of Phytophthora capsici Isolates from a Worldwide Collection. Population Dynamics Between Fusarium pseudograminearum and Bipolaris sorokiniana in Wheat Stems Using Real-Time qPCR.
Distribution and Prevalence of Fusarium Crown Rot and Common Root Rot Pathogens of Wheat in Montana. Development of a Bio-PCR Protocol for the Detection of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni. Soil Suppressiveness to Fusarium Disease Following Organic Amendments and Solarization. Suppression of Common Scab of Potato Caused by Streptomyces turgidiscabies Using Lopsided Oat Green Manure. Identification and Distribution of Fungi Associated with Fairy Rings on Golf Putting Greens. Factors Affecting Infection and Disease Development on Olive Leaves Inoculated with Fusicladium oleagineum. Verticillium Wilt of Skullcap and Potential for Pathogen Dissemination via Seeds and Stems. Fusarium graminearum Species Complex Associated with Maize Crowns and Roots in the KwaZuluNatal Province of South Africa. Seasonal Progress of Charcoal Rot and Its Impact on Soybean Productivity. A Model to Estimate the Amount of Primary Inoculum of ElsinoĂŤ ampelina. Novel and Highly Specific Monoclonal Antibody to Acidovorax citrulli and Development of ELISABased Detection in Cucurbit Leaves and Seed. Variability Among Forecast Models for the Apple Sooty Blotch/Flyspeck Disease Complex. First Report of Leaf Spot Caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. poinsettiicola on Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) in Norway. First Report of Eutypella spp. Associated with Branch Canker of Citrus in California. First Report of Stem Blight Caused by Calonectria colhounii (Anamorph Cylindrocladium colhounii) on Greenhouse-Grown Blueberries in the United States. Detection of Variants of Wheat Stem Rust Race Ug99 (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. First Report of Powdery Mildew Caused by Erysiphe diffusa, Oidium neolycopersici, and Podosphaera xanthii on Papaya in Taiwan. First Report of Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum caudatum on Indiangrass in New York. First Report of Raffaelea canadensis Causing Laurel Wilt Disease Symptoms on Avocado in California. First Report of Fruit Rot Disease on Pomelo Caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae in China. First Report of Leaf Blight Caused by Nigrospora sphaerica on Curcuma in China. First Report of Stem Blight of Eleocharis dulcis Caused by Phoma bellidis in China. First Report of Leaf Spot Caused by Bipolaris spicifera on Switchgrass in the United States. First Report of Fusarium oxysporum Causing Wilt on Jade Plant (Crassula ovata) in Italy. First Report of a Leaf Spot Caused by Bipolaris oryzae on Switchgrass in New York. First Report of Fusarium Wilt of Canary Island Date Palm Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. canariensis in Louisiana. Pathotype IV, a New and Highly Virulent Pathotype of Didymella rabiei, Causing Ascochyta Blight in Chickpea in Syria. First Report of Phytophthora citrophthora Causing Root and Basal Stem Rot of Woody Ornamentals in Hungary. First Report of Nothofagus macrocarpa Dieback Caused by Phytophthora citrophthora and P. nicotianae in Chile.
First Report of Crown and Root Rot Caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG-4 on Banana Passionflower (Passiflora mollissima) in Italy. First Report of Fusarium torulosum Causing Dry Rot of Seed Potato Tubers in the United States. First Report of Cercospora apii Leaf Spot on Capsicum chinense in Brazil. First Report of Blue Mold Caused by Penicillium oxalicum in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in Mexico. First Report of Spot Blotch and Common Root Rot Caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana on Switchgrass in Tennessee. First Report of Iris yellow spot virus Infecting Onion in Kenya and Uganda. First Report of Chrysanthemum stunt viroid in Various Cultivars of Argyranthemum frutescens in France. First Report of Sida micrantha mosaic virus in Phaseolus vulgaris in Brazil. First Report of Squash leaf curl Philippines virus Infecting Chayote (Sechium edule) in Taiwan. First Report of Garlic virus X Infecting Garlic in India. First Report of Little Cherry Disease from Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) and Sour Cherry (P. cerasus) in the Czech Republic. First Report of Alfalfa mosaic virus Infection in Viburnum tinus in Chile. First Report of Strawberry necrotic shock virus in China.
MPMI August 2011, Volume 24, Number 8 Lipo-chitooligosaccharide Signaling in Endosymbiotic Plant-Microbe Interactions. Horizontal Gene Transfer in Nematodes: A Catalyst for Plant Parasitism? The Sesquiterpene Botrydial Produced by Botrytis cinerea Induces the Hypersensitive Response on Plant Tissues and Its Action Is Modulated by Salicylic Acid and Jasmonic Acid Signaling. An Autoactive Mutant of the M Flax Rust Resistance Protein Has a Preference for Binding ATP, Whereas Wild-Type M Protein Binds ADP. Phytobacterial Type III Effectors HopX1, HopAB1 and HopF2 Enhance Sense-Post-Transcriptional Gene Silencing Independently of Plant R Gene-Effector Recognition. Cell Death Mediated by the N-Terminal Domains of a Unique and Highly Conserved Class of NB-LRR Protein. Phosphoproteome Analysis of Lotus japonicus Roots Reveals Shared and Distinct Components of Symbiosis and Defense. Protein Kinase C Is Likely to be Involved in Zoosporogenesis and Maintenance of Flagellar Motility in the Peronosporomycete Zoospores. Xanthomonas campestris Diffusible Factor Is 3-Hydroxybenzoic Acid and Is Associated with Xanthomonadin Biosynthesis, Cell Viability, Antioxidant Activity, and Systemic Invasion. Transcriptional Analysis of Soybean Root Response to Fusarium virguliforme, the Causal Agent of Sudden Death Syndrome. Suppressors of RNA Silencing Encoded by the Components of the Cotton Leaf Curl BegomovirusBetaSatellite Complex. High Levels of a Fungal Superoxide Dismutase and Increased Concentration of a PR-10 Plant Protein in Associations Between the Endophytic Fungus Neotyphodium lolii and Ryegrass.
September 2011, Volume 24, Number 9 The Transcriptome of Fusarium graminearum During the Infection of Wheat. Role of Type IV Pili in Virulence of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci 6605: Correlation of Motility, Multidrug Resistance, and HR-Inducing Activity on a Nonhost Plant. The Ectopic Expression of a Pectin Methyl Esterase Inhibitor Increases Pectin Methyl Esterification and Limits Fungal Diseases in Wheat. Role of Hydroxycinnamic Acids in the Infection of Maize Silks by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe. Systematic Mutagenesis of All Predicted gntR Genes in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris Reveals a GntR Family Transcriptional Regulator Controlling Hypersensitive Response and Virulence. The Cucurbit Pathogenic Bacterium Acidovorax citrulli Requires a Polar Flagellum for Full Virulence Before and After Host-Tissue Penetration. A Dual-Targeted Soybean Protein Is Involved in Bradyrhizobium japonicum Infection of Soybean Root Hair and Cortical Cells. Changes in Carbohydrate Metabolism in Plasmopara viticola-Infected Grapevine Leaves. The Botrytis cinerea Reg1 Protein, a Putative TranÂscriptional Regulator, Is Required for Pathogenicity, Conidiogenesis, and the Production of Secondary Metabolites. A Novel Regulatory Role of HrpD6 in Regulating hrphrc-hpa Genes in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola. Colonization of Rice Leaf Blades by an African Strain of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae Depends on a New TAL Effector That Induces the Rice Nodulin-3 Os11N3 Gene.
Plant Management Network www.plantmanagementnetwork.org Plant Health Progress August 2011 Historical Durability of Resistance to Wheat Diseases in Kansas. Expansion of Groundnut ringspot virus Host and Geographic Ranges in Solanaceous Vegetables in Peninsular Florida. Bayer CropScience Introduces Poncho/VOTiVO on Soybean and Cotton. Presidio Fungicide Registered for Drip Irrigation in New York Vegetables. Spinosad Insecticide Now Available for Use on Onions as a Seed Treatment. Soybeans Affected by Damping Off Disease This Year. Japanese Beetles Seen in Northeastern Oklahoma Soybean Fields. Papaya Plants Reduce the Need for Pesticides on Tomatoes in Florida, New UF Study Finds.
September 2011 A Review of Managing Huanglongbing (Citrus Greening) in China Using a Nutritional Approach. Growth Sensitivity of Corynespora cassiicola to Thiophanate-methyl, Iprodione, and Fludioxonil. Factors to Improve Detection of Alfalfa mosaic virus in Soybean. Impact of Crop Rotation and Bio-covers on Soybean Cyst Nematode. Sampling for Plant-parasitic Nematodes in Corn Strip Trials Comparing Nematode Management Products. n
Phytopathology News 143
PERIODICALS
News The American Phytopathological Society 3340 Pilot Knob Road St. Paul, MN 55121 United States of America
Calendar of Events
APS Sponsored Events October 2011 12-14 — APS Northeastern Division Meeting. New Brunswick, NJ. www.apsnet.org/members/divisions/ne December 2011 14-16 — 2011 Field Crops Rust Symposium. San Antonio, TX. www.apsnet.org/meetings/ topicalmeetings/fcrs2011/Pages/default.aspx February 2012 5-6 — APS Southern Division Meeting. Birmingham, AL. www.apsnet.org/members/ divisions/south/meetings Upcoming APS Annual Meetings August 4-8, 2012 — Providence, RI. August 10-14, 2013 — Austin, TX. August 9-13, 2014 — Minneapolis, MN.
Other Upcoming Events August 2011 21-24 — Second Asian PGPR Conference. Beijing, China. www.ag.auburn.edu/auxiliary/ asianpgpr/meetings/2011 25-26 — Third International Scientific Seminar of Plant Pathology. University of Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú. www.facbio.unitru.edu.pe September 2011 5-7 — Resistance 2011. Rothamsted Research, United Kingdom. bart.fraaije@bbsrc.ac.uk 11-14 — 8th International Symposium on Mycosphaerella and Stagonospora Diseases of Cereals. Mexico City, Mexico. http://conferences. cimmyt.org/en/home-septoria-conference
15-17 — Botrytis-Sclerotinia Post-Genome Workshop. Lyon, France. http://bspgw2011.univ-lyon1.fr/en 21-23 — Final Soybean Rust Short Course. University of Florida, Quincy, FL. www.sepdn.org/meetings October 2011 3-4 — The 2011 International Spinach Conference. Amsterdam, the Netherlands. http://spinach.uark.edu 16-19 — The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America 2011 Annual Meeting: Fundamental for Life: Soil, Crop, & Environmental Sciences. San Antonio, TX. www.soils.org/meetings 18-21 — 4th International Biofumigation and Biopesticides Symposium. Saskatoon, SK, Canada. http://agwest.sk.ca/events/ biofumigation2011/BiofumigationBiopesticides2011.htm 31-Nov 2 — 2011 Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions. San Diego, CA. www.mbao.org November 2011 8-11 — 2011 IUFRO Forest EntomologyForest Pathology Joint Meeting. Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. www.iufrouruguay2011.org 29-Dec 1 — Third International Phytophthora capsici Conference. Duck Key, FL. http://conferences.dce.ufl.edu/pcap December 2011 4-6 — 2011 National Fusarium Head Blight Forum. St. Louis, MO. http://scabusa.org/forum11.html
March 2012 1-3 — Second International Symposium of Bio-Pesticides and Eco-Toxicological Network. Bangkok, Thailand. www.isbiopen.sci.ku.ac.th/ ISBIOPEN/Home.html 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 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 October 2012 Dates TBD — 1st International Workshop on Crown Rot of Wheat. Queensland, Australia. www.australasianplantpathologysociety.org.au/ Interest_Groups/Crown_Rot 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.