APS Committee Renamed Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

www.apsnet.org

April 2021 Volume 55 • Number 4

Breanne Kisselstein, Co-chair Committee for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion audience who cannot hear the speaker and need closed captioning or ASL (American The Committee for Diversity and Equal- Sign Language) interpreters. Furthermore, ity (CDE) has been renamed the Committee diversity is about representation, while infor Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI). clusion is about involvement or having a Members and leaders of this committee voted seat at the table. A common but imperfect for this change simply because the terms quote used to describe the differences be- “diversity” and “equality” do not accurately tween these two terms is, “Diversity is being describe the work that our committee is do- invited to the party; Inclusion is being asked ing and is committed to doing in the future. to dance.” Equality is defined by giving everyone equal CDEI is a very active committee that resources and access, while equity is defined continually seeks to increase the diversity, tion of members in our group, either as pro- by giving everyone proportional resources equity, and inclusion of all members and fessionals from minoritized backgrounds or and access according to their needs. As a APS leadership roles, and we are proud to as our greatest allies. Please email Breanne simple example, although every member change our name to demonstrate our com- Kisselstein with any questions, fill out an has equal access to hear a speaker at a meet- mitment to these goals. We also hope to en- interest form to join our committee, and ing there may not be equitable access for hance the active enrollment and participa- follow us on Facebook and Twitter! ■

Plant Health 2021 Online Preview: A Conversation with Keynote Speaker Professor Sheng-Yang He

Jim Bradeen, APS Internal varied in humidity control, raising the ques- “Plant-Pathogen Warfare under Changing Communications Officer tion, “Could variation in humidity result in Climate Conditions,” at Plant Health 2021 such dramatic differences in disease resis- Online on Monday, August 2. It started in a lab meeting one day. Mem tance?” Meanwhile, a student interested in I asked Sheng-Yang how he got started in bers of Prof. Sheng-Yang He’s lab reported how light impacts plant disease resistance plant pathology. He shared that he grew up inconsistent results in seemingly replicated pivoted when she accidently observed that disease resistance assays in Arabidopsis. Dig small changes in temperature can alter de- Plant Health 2021, continued on page 3 ging more deeply, the variation was traced fense responses. (This student’s project to the use of different growth chambers that spawned a line of research in the He lab that demonstrated the vulnerability of salicylic acid-dependent defense responses In This Issue to temperature fluctuations.) Collectively, APS Financial Report ��3 these fortuitous findings caused Sheng-Yang OPRO ��7 to reflect anew on the “disease triangle” he learned about in his introductory plant pa- PPB ��8 thology class. Taken to a global scale, Sheng- APS Foundation ��8 Yang began to wonder about how the en- APS Publications ��10 vironment, and especially climate change, Donors of Distinction ��11 impacts plant health and what this means People ��12 for global agriculture. Graduate Student Spotlight ��15 Sheng-Yang will have a lot to say about Classifieds ��15 climate change, plant health, and the future Research Notebook ��17 of agriculture during his Keynote Address,

Phytopathology News April 2021 1 PLANT PATHOLOGY’S PERPLEXING PAST: THE REST OF THE STORY Editor-in-Chief: Kenny Seebold Editor: Jordana Anker Design: Jordana Anker Advertising Sales: Brianna Plank Bacterial Wilt of Alfalfa Phytopathology News (ISSN 0278-0267) is published monthly, with the August/September issue combined, by The American Phytopatholog- Robert M. Harveson, University of Nebraska, Panhandle REC, Scottsbluff ical Society (APS) at 3352 Sherman Ct, Ste 202, 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 Last month I shared the story of “wet rot” root disease of sugar beets; based on my all APS members. Subscription price to nonmembers is $116. research in the literature, it was the first example on the list of Gram-positive bacterial Submission Guidelines: Address all editorial correspondence to: Kenny Seebold, Valent USA, 608 Havana Court, Lexington, KY 40511 U.S.A. pathogens that seemingly originate in Nebraska agricultural production. Two University Phone: +1.859.940.5184; E-mail: [email protected]. In or- of Nebraska graduate students (George Hedgcock and Haven Metcalf) first discovered der to ensure timely publication of your news items and announcements, please send in material six weeks prior to the date of publication. Material and characterized this disease in the early 20th century. This month’s article concerns a should be no more than six months old when submitted. Submission of materials as electronic files, via e-mail, will speed processing. For informa- different disease, bacterial wilt of alfalfa, caused by another Gram-positive bacterial patho- tion on submitting electronic images contact Jordana Anker. Deadline for gen, and its tale is the rest of the story. submitting items for the June 2021 issue is April 22, 2021. APS Leadership Alfalfa Wilt Council President: Mark Gleason Alfalfa wilt, caused by Clavibacter President Elect: Amy Charkowski michiganensis subsp. insidiosus, was first Vice President: Ron Walcott Immediate Past President: Lindsey du Toit noted in the mid-1920s from the river Internal Communications Officer: James Bradeen valleys of Nebraska and Kansas and Treasurer: Lawrence Datnoff Senior Councilor-at-Large: Katherine L. Stevenson from fields in southern Wisconsin and Councilor-at-Large: David Gent Councilor-at-Large: Courtney Gallup northern Illinois as a distinct disease. Divisional Councilor: Ashok Chanda However, it had likely been present, al- Publications Councilor: Krishna Subbarao Executive Vice President: Amy Hope though unnoticed, in the United States Editors-in-Chief for many years prior to that. By 1926, APS PRESS: Darin Eastburn it had been reported from every major MPMI: Jeanne M. Harris Phytobiomes: Johan Leveau alfalfa-producing state. PhytoFrontiers: Niklaus Grünwald Phytopathology: Nian Wang Phytopathology News: Kenny Seebold Symptoms and Conditions Plant Disease: Alexander V. Karasev Plant Disease Management Reports: Kerik Cox Favoring Disease The Plant Health Instructor: Brantlee Spakes Richter Plant Health Progress: Pamela Roberts Alfalfa wilt is favored by cool, wet Plant Management Network: Cristi Palmer conditions, with an optimal pathogen Alfalfa plant (foreground) severely infected by bacterial Board and Office Chairs and Directors growth temperature of 23°C, and sur- 2026 Professional Development Forum: Renée Rioux wilt. Academic Unit Leader Forum Chair: Steve Jeffers prisingly, disease will still progress at APS Foundation Board Chair: David M. Gadoury Divisional Forum Chair: Walt Mahaffee temperatures as low as 9°C. Infection often aggressively kills plants so rapidly that alfalfa PPB Chair: Rick Bennett crops become unprofitable 2–3 years following infection, and the disease rarely appears in Publications Board Chair: Krishna V. Subbarao OE Director: Monica M. Lewandowski stands under 3 years of age. Although infected plants normally die after the second year of OIP Director: Susan D. Cohen infection, necrosis from annual growth rings showed that some infections had occurred at OPSR Director: Jeffrey Stein OPRO Director: Nicole M. Donofrio least 17 years prior to examination. AMB Director: Paul Esker Irrigation also favors and increases infection, while fields cultivated under dryland con- Division Officers Caribbean ditions are seldom affected. The bacterium readily survives in infested plant material with- Divisional Forum Rep: Gilberto Olaya in soil, hay, or seed for several years and is most common in low, poorly drained areas of President: Judith K. Brown Past President: Carolina Cedano-Saavedra fields. Furthermore, the pathogen spreads throughout fields after injury to the crop, such Vice President: Alberto M. Gochez Secretary-Treasurer: Jose Carlos Verle Rodrigues as winter damage (freezing and thawing), insect feeding, or mowing and bailing hay. North Central Division Divisional Forum Rep: Loren J. Giesler Alfalfa’s Origin and Introduction into North America President: Daren S. Mueller Immediate Past President: Anne E. Dorrance Alfalfa is the world’s most important forage crop and is thought to have risen from two Vice President: Loren J. Giesler Secretary-Treasurer: Febina M. Mathew distinct centers of origin. One of these is the mountainous highlands of Transcaucasia and Northeastern Division adjacent areas of northwestern Iran; a second, independent origin is believed to be Turke- Divisional Forum Rep: Beth K. Gugino President: Ann L. Hazelrigg stan and other parts of central Asia. Alfalfa was likely brought to the southwestern United Immediate Past President: Kari A. Peter Vice President: Rosa E. Raudales States (Texas, California, New Mexico, and Arizona) via Mexico by Spanish missionaries Secretary-Treasurer: Nicholas Brazee in the 1500s after previously being introduced into Central and South America by Span- Pacific Division Divisional Forum Rep: Walter F. Mahaffee ish explorers. It became very successful in the western United States, but not in the north- President: Akif Eskalen east or midwest, likely due to its lack of winter hardiness (or disease resistance). Past President: Inga A. Zasada President-Elect: Jeremiah Dung Secretary-Treasurer: Jane Stewart Research Begins Potomac Division Divisional Forum Rep: Matthew T. Kasson Through the 1920s, alfalfa acreages in Nebraska decreased dramatically. Experiment President: Alyssa Koehler Immediate Past President: Christopher Clarke station plant pathologist George L. Peltier was one of the first plant pathologists to study Vice President: Sudeep A. Mathew the disease and concluded that wilt was the primary factor responsible for this sudden de- Secretary-Treasurer: Rachel Melnick-Lippart Southern Division cline in alfalfa production. In fact, there was enough concern that the Nebraska Legisla- Divisional Forum Rep: Nicole A. Gauthier ture created a special appropriation of $25,000 for conducting research (equaling more President: Fulya Baysal-Gurel President-Elect: Lindsey Thiessen than $350,000 today). Vice President: Daniel Anco Past President: Paul Price Secretary-Treasurer: Rebecca A. Melanson Perplexing Past, continued on page 5

Phytopathology News April 2021 2 Plant Health 2021, continued from page 1 creasingly volatile global environment, this future for our discipline that intersects with is a field ripe for research. Sheng-Yang indi- other fields of study, from chemistry to en- in China and witnessed firsthand how dev- cates that all we have learned as a scientific gineering to informatics. astating challenges like rice blast and cotton community in recent decades about both So, what can we expect from Sheng- boll weevil can be for plants, farmers, and host and pathogen means we can now tackle Yang’s Keynote Address? It’s going to be those who rely on healthy crops. In graduate environmental variation, the third side of exciting! We will hear about some recent school, he studied plant pathology at Cor- the disease triangle, with renewed research and ongoing research from his program. nell University. He has built a successful and vigor. We will be challenged to think about our celebrated career working on Arabidopsis, I asked Sheng-Yang for his advice for own research and how it fits into the future its interactions with pathogens (especially those just starting out in plant pathology. of agriculture; how genome editing can be bacterial pathogens), and molecular mecha- He indicated that one of the strengths of leveraged for plant health; the importance of nisms in both plant and pathogen. However, our discipline is the diverse perspectives it crop wild relatives to sustainable agriculture; he has never forgotten his agricultural roots brings. Given his fortuitous foray into his and new strategies for disease management. or the importance of his research for solving current line of research, it should be no sur- You won’t want to miss this one! Tune in on plant health problems. prise that he encourages students and early- Monday, August 2, for Prof. Sheng-Yang He’s Now at Duke University, Sheng-Yang and career professionals to focus on the big pic- Plant Health 2021 Keynote Address, “Plant- his lab group are exploring how environ- ture and to think about how our research Pathogen Warfare under Changing Climate mental variation—in humidity and tem- impacts the real world. Sheng-Yang offered, Conditions.” perature, as well as in nutrition and CO2 “Plant pathology is a fascinating field. Once Learn more about Sheng-Yang He and levels—impacts plant health, plant defense people begin to see the breadth and depth other Keynote and Plenary presenters. ■ responses, and pathogen biology. In an in- of the field, they are excited,” and he sees a

Annual Financial Report Annual Audited Summary of APS Finances for Fiscal Year 2020

Lawrence Datnoff, APS Treasurer, [email protected] The Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) and APS staff meet routinely to review financial matters related to the op- eration of the society and to refine the APS strategic financial plan. FAC, staff, and the leaders of APS business centers (e.g., APS PRESS, APS Journals) update and revise the strategic financial plan annually to ensure that funds are available to support all activities of the society. APS Council and the officers regularly analyze the external environment and make progress toward developing and executing strategies to attain the goals of the plan. Having a strategic financial plan helps us provide a focus for our resources and a prioritization of activities. Identifying strategic targets informs everyone as to what is expected from their programs several years in advance, so they can build and execute strategies over several budget cycles. The role of FAC in this process is not to be involved directly Fig. 1. Audited Income—6/30/20. in program-specific strategy building, that is council’s responsibility, but rather to develop financial goals, build business plans to meet those goals, and monitor progress toward each goal. FAC continually asks the difficult questions, such as which programs should break even and which are expected to generate a surplus to invest in the scientific programs and professional services that best benefit our members. These dove- tailed strategic plans continue to work for the society, allowing us to envision and invest in our future. At times, FAC and council must make decisions that protect the financial well- being of our society. The outbreak of COVID-19 impacted organizations around the world, and APS was no exception. Although APS was able to leverage its position of strength and reserves that were generated from its consistent financial performance, the pandemic brought uncertainty to projections for our revenue streams and led us to reevaluate the financial strategies that were in place. As a consequence, APS staff, along with FAC and council, carefully evaluated the paycheck protection program (PPP) (a business loan program established in 2020 as part of the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to help qualifying businesses) as a means

Financial Report, continued on page 4 Fig. 2. Audited Expenses—6/30/20.

Phytopathology News April 2021 3 Financial Report, continued from page 3 an operating reserve that will cover one year the society as of June 30, 2020 (including of operating expenses. Keeping a strong op- restricted funds), were $9.9 million, and to weather the potential financial storm erating reserve allows us to weather financial liabilities totaled $2.2 million. This resulted brought on by COVID-19 and success- downturns and economic shifts, as previ- in total net assets of $7.7 million. ■ fully obtained a forgivable loan in April ously mentioned, by providing a cushion 2020. The PPP loan allowed us to cover a against unexpected events, losses of income, set portion of staff and building expenses. and any large unbudgeted expenses. The The amount of the loan was $821,300; financial reserve also gives us the ability to this benefited not only APS but also our invest in ourselves as opportunities present Scientific Societies cooperative partners. themselves or member needs change. The APS received a proportionate share of the interest revenue generated from the reserves loan in the amount of $310,000. In August, is utilized to innovate and create new mem- staff applied for loan forgiveness, and this ber value. was granted in November 2020. Council, Fiscal year 2020 (FY20) (excluding invest- FAC, and APS staff will continue to evalu- ments) was concluded with an operational ate programs and strategies and pivot when surplus of $317,807. The FY20 income appropriate to support the financial health and expense categories for the society of our society. are detailed in Table 1. Total income of To help APS continue to invest in the fu- $5,629,985 was derived from 11 sources, ture (e.g., start-up costs for new journals that as indicated in Figure 1, and total operating allow increased opportunities for member expenses ($5,312,178) were partitioned as publication), as well as maintain established indicated in Figure 2. APS income and ex- non-revenue-generating programs (e.g., ad- penses for the most recent 11 fiscal years vocacy and outreach), the society maintains are presented in Table 2. The total assets of

Call for Volunteers Graduate Students:

Make things happen, engage in APS! Apply to be Featured in Several leadership opportunities are available within APS. Visit the APS website to learn more Phytopathology News! about these open positions. ■ For each issue of Phytopathology News, the APS Graduate Student Committee chooses a graduate student to be featured in a spotlight article. Applicants are chosen based on their involvement in APS as student members and their expected graduation dates. The committee strives to integrate students into society affairs and activities and recommends ways to address student concerns. Submit your application for consideration on the submission webpage. ■

Phytopathology News April 2021 4 Perplexing Past, continued from page 2 mature plants from fields containing alfalfa The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stands that were at least 35 years of age, sug- and several state agricultural experiment sta- In 1930, Peltier published the first com- gesting that it was not a new disease in the tions began work evaluating multiple meth- prehensive report on alfalfa wilt in Nebraska state but only recently recognized in the odologies. Genetic resistance was concluded Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 240. 1920s. He also concluded that previous losses to be the only practical method available to He stated that the disease was identified in from wilt were very likely attributed falsely solve the problem rapidly. to winter injury. He further de- None of the domesticated cultivars being termined that the disease caused used at that time possessed disease resistance. the greatest damage in the irri- Thus, USDA plant explorers searched over gated valley fields grown for hay much of the world, looking for alfalfa sources and those where productive with resistance. Fortunately, disease-resistant stands were needed for extended, alfalfa germplasm was found in Turkestan, indefinite periods. Lastly, Peltier and breeders successfully combined it with asserted that the disease occurred desired agronomic properties. George Peltier, in virtually every irrigated field partnered with H. S. Tysdal of the USDA in Nebraska over 2 years of age. and the University of Nebraska Department of Agronomy, developed the first winter- Breeding and Devel- hardy, wilt-resistant variety, ‘Ranger’, and opment of Disease- it was released for commercial production Resistant Cultivars after 1940. It was the first alfalfa cultivar By 1930 bacterial wilt was that utilized a specific gene derived from recognized as the most signi- a foreign source for disease resistance and ficant problem in alfalfa pro- winter hardiness, and it served as an indus- duction in the United States, try standard for decades. revealing the immediate need to Conclusions Certificate of registration for alfalfa variety ‘Ranger’ developed by identify new methods for con- the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA. trol of this emerging disease. Development of resistant varieties through breeding has effectively neutralized the alfalfa wilt pathogen and has almost com- pletely eliminated the disease as a threat to production. This resistance has continued to persist even as new cultivars have been developed more than 80 years after the development of ‘Ranger’. Now you know the rest of the story.

REFERENCES Goss, R. W. 1964. The development of the Plant Pathology Department in the Ne- braska Agricultural Experiment Station. (Unpublished departmental report on file in the Department of Plant Pathology, IANR, UNL.) Harveson, R. M. 2015. The Bacterium of Many Colors. American Phytopathologi- cal Society, St. Paul, MN. Jones, F. R., and McCulloch, L. 1926. A bacterial wilt and root rot of alfalfa caused by Aplanobacter insidiosum L. McC. J. Agric. Res. 3:493-521. Peltier, G. L., and Jensen, J. H. 1930. Al- falfa wilt in Nebraska. Nebraska Agric. Yield of alfalfa variety ‘Ranger’ (left) compared with a different cultivar (right) Exp. Sta. Bull. 240. ■

Phytopathology News April 2021 5 Seismic Shifts in Disease Risk August 2–6, 2021

Submit Your Abstract to Plant Health 2021 Online Share your research with plant pathologists from all over the world at this year’s annual meeting!

Your abstract should clearly describe the importance of your work to plant pathology, your objectives, methods, and results. Find more details regarding virtual presentation formats at planthealth2021.org.

Abstract submission closes April 15.

planthealth2021.org Office of Public Relations and Outreach OPRO Meets Alyssa Koehler Alyssa Koehler is an assistant professor out their host, they went to the appropriate and plant pathology extension specialist station to pick up their “case file,” which in- from the Department of Plant and Soil Sci- cluded relevant pictures, workbooks, a fungal ences within the University of Delaware. culture and infected plant, and the answer Science outreach activity: Plant Pathol- to their DNA band-size mystery in a sealed ogy Private Eye. envelope. The activity booklet introduced the mystery, guided them through using a Type of event: Workshop. wooden microscope to look at some aspect Intended audience: K-12 students. The of their pathogen (hyphae, sclerotia, etc.), level of difficulty can be adjusted as needed. and provided instructions on PCR and loading a gel to find out the DNA size of their Description of the activity: This activity organism. After practicing loading a gel, they was originally created for a STEM outreach opened their sealed envelope to find a pre- event for 6th- to 8th-grade girls. Students printed gel image that they then matched were split into groups and received a clue to an image on a large poster to officially describing a type of crop. Once they figured “solve” their mystery. Materials needed for this activity: • Each case file included: Case file and DNA Database poster. The gel im-  Host booklets (created for watermel- ages flipped up and revealed “Sorry not correct” or on, corn, lima bean, and wheat). “Congratulations” messages and information about  Petri dish, flask, or inoculated plant the disease. (something to offer a visual of the • disease). For practicing loading a gel:   Pictures of symptoms and diagnostic Premade gel in a plastic storage features. container filled with water.   Sealed envelope with gel-band Loading dye. picture.  Pipette. Case files and the workbooks within. Each student  Tips. received a workbook. We developed materials for • DNA Database poster with flip-style  Container with water for gels or watermelon, corn, wheat, and lima bean so that images, so participants can match the each small group had a different mystery. The groups picture in their sealed envelope with nearby sink. all shared their findings with the larger group at the the correct pathogen gel band.  Paper towels. end of the activity. • Optional: Cardboard cutouts of hosts For information regarding this event: to have as the “home base” of the sta- The materials for this activity are available tions. upon request from Alyssa Koehler. • Optional (depending on budget): Each How will you modify or improve future microscope package included: offerings? The event went smoothly. The  Echo wooden microscope (cost $10 per scope; these come as a flat sheet, main challenge for hosting this event addi- and students assemble their own mi- tional times has been COVID-related re- croscope; a cell phone camera was strictions. used to take photos. In this activ- How many times has this activity been ity, the microscope was a “goody” hosted? Once. that the students were able to take In total, how many participants have home). been in attendance? 65 students.  Slides.  Cover slips. To have your science outreach activity  Dropper bottle of water. or event featured in the “OPRO meets…” Materials within one case file.  Probe or forceps. article series, please complete this survey. ■

Phytopathology News April 2021 7 Public Policy Board Early Career Internship Applications Are Now Being Accepted by PPB

The APS Public Policy Board (PPB) is com- professionals. The PPB early career intern will participate in PPB mitted to developing future leaders to engage activities from August 2021 to August 2023. In the first year of the in science policy that relates generally to agri- internship, the intern will be expected to participate in monthly cultural science and specifically to matters of PPB calls and in the preparation of newsletter items and policy interest to APS. Through the PPB Early Career white papers. At the end of the internship, the intern will prepare internship program, interns experience many a written and/or oral report on the experience for delivery to PPB sides of policy making, including helping to and the APS membership. Other activities may include, but are not identify advocacy issues and learning how scientific societies, non- limited to, meetings to establish the PPB policy agenda-setting; de- governmental organizations, executive branch agencies (e.g., USDA, velopment, tracking, and analysis of policy issues; planning Capitol NSF, EPA), and the legislative branch interact in crafting public policy. Hill and agency briefings; and updating and presenting the PPB Some of the benefits of the internship are honing communication booth at the APS Annual Meeting. and leadership skills and building connections with scientists and Application materials and a further description are available on- administrators from academia, industry, and government. line. Completed application materials must be received by May 15, This internship is open to APS early career members, which in- 2021, and should be sent to Rick Bennett, PPB chair. ■ cludes current graduate students, postdoctoral associates, and junior

APS Foundation Technology and Tools Application Deadlines Webinar Series—Call for Approaching for APS Topics! Foundation Awards In an effort to help professionals re- main abreast of ever-evolving technol- Applications are being accepted through ogies available for research, the Mid- April 15, 2021, for the following awards: Career Task Force will host a series of webinars. We are seeking speaker nomi- International Travel Award nations, either yourself or someone else, Provides support for early- to mid-career whose research techniques are on the international APS members to participate at forefront of science. We also welcome submissions for technologies Plant Health 2021 Online or at an APS 2021 that you’d like to learn about but for which you have no presenter in virtual workshop. mind. Named Student Travel Awards We are interested in tools or technologies that are pioneering Provides support to APS student members who submit an ab- how research is conducted in either applied or molecular plant stract and give an oral or poster presentation at Plant Health 2021 pathology—or from a related field that can be leveraged into plant Online. pathology. The webinar format is flexible, allowing for video tours of equip- John and Ann Niederhauser Endowment Award (JANE) ment or live demonstrations of techniques (if desired). Supports international cooperation on a project between a per- Topic submissions were due April 5, but we welcome any last son or institution in the United States and a person or institution minute ideas by Friday, April 9. Contact [email protected] if you outside the United States. have any questions about this initiative or you are interested in join- ing the Mid-Career Task Force. ■ OIP Global Experience Award Helps APS plant pathologists working with scientists and extension personnel in developing countries in training and outreach efforts. For 2021, funds will be used for virtual workshops. Ensure a bright future. Through your do- nations, the APS Foundation provides support to students and scientists and helps underwrite special programs and projects in plant pathology. ■

Phytopathology News April 2021 8 August 2–6, 2021 Seismic Shifts in Disease Risk Live and On Demand

Save the Date! Join plant pathologists from around the world to explore major changes in bacterial, viral, nematode, and fungal pathosystems that help us anticipate and deflect future shifts in disease risk. Registration Opens in Early May

APS Members receive a discount on registration! | planthealth2021.org PDMR, Volume 15, Now Available with 382 New Efficacy Reports

Nematicides (all crops) Ornamentals and Trees Pome Fruits, Citrus, Small Fruits, Stone Fruits, and Nuts Seed Treatments (all crops) Turfgrass The biannual APS publication Plant Disease Management Reports (PDMR) facilitates the rapid dissemination and ar- Search reports by section or search all Volume 15 reports. information on cultural, chemical, and biological con- chiving of Submit to the Next Issue of Volume 15! trol of plant diseases. The latest volume, now complete, includes Learn about the submission process and review a sample report. 382 reports. The reports are divided into seven sections: Then submit your own report when the next submission period Tropical, Vegetable, and Miscellaneous Crops opens on April 12, 2021. ■ Field, Cereal, and Forage Crops

The Life and Research of José Tadashi Yorinori, the “Father of Soybean Pathology in Brazil”

New APS Book Highlights the Importance of Plant Pathology Worldwide Soybean rust—perhaps the most feared and studied of all soybean diseases—was first reported in Japan in 1902. It spread slowly, initially im- pacting only countries in the East- ern Hemisphere, from Japan south to Australia and west to China and India. In the 1990s, the disease was reported in Hawaii and many African countries. Next, it moved to the Amer- icas: to Paraguay in 2001, to Brazil in 2002, and, finally, to the continental United States in 2004. If left unchecked, soybean rust can cause yield reductions of up to 80%, according to Glen Hartman, a USDA–ARS research plant about the Wild West, which led to his growing fascination with the pathologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign who United States. focuses on soybean diseases and pests. He describes the development In 1967, Yorinori began studying agronomic engineering at Par- of soybean rust as “explosive under the right conditions—in just a aná Federal University. He saw an opportunity to realize his dream week or two after the first diagnosis of soybean rust in a field, it can of attending school in the United States when he came across a pos- become an epidemic nightmare, producing billions upon billions of ter announcing a study program that included a scholarship. When aerial-dispersed spores.” Yorinori arrived in the United States, he was surprised to find that Hartman is one of the editors of Soybean Rust: Lessons Learned instead of being accepted into an internship program, he actually from the Pandemic in Brazil, the newest title from APS PRESS. This had been accepted into a master’s course in phytopathology at Cor- book was written by the late José Tadashi Yorinori, a pioneering re- nell University. After completing his master’s degree, he dedicated searcher who “had the foresight to study rust before it was a prob- his professional life to the study of plant diseases. lem in Brazil,” according to Hartman, and then spent 10 years In 1970, Yorinori began his career at the Meridional Agricultural struggling to bring the disease under control. Yorinori’s research Research Institute in Brazil, where he conducted his first studies on and collaborations provided growers with “on-the-spot information soybean diseases in Paraná State. From 1973 to 1976, he worked at about how to diagnose, manage, and reduce the impact of soybean the Paraná Agronomic Institute (IAPAR) as a research scientist and rust,” in Hartman’s words. This important work “laid the founda- coordinator of the Paraná State Soybean Research Program, and he tion for rust management in Brazil and other countries.” helped establish the Soybean National Research Center (CNPSo), Known to many as the “father of soybean pathology in Brazil,” now known as Embrapa Soja. Eager to improve his professional Yorinori found his way to plant pathology through the course of his skills, Yorinori returned to the United States in 1977 to complete life experiences. The fourth of seven children, he spent his childhood a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology at the University of Illinois at on his family’s farm and small coffee plantation near Londrina in Paraná State, Brazil. As a youth, he biked to the cinema to see films Soybean Rust, continued on page 11

Phytopathology News April 2021 10 Soybean Rust, continued from page 10 companies. He also worked on a book about soybean rust, drawing on his many years of consistent notetaking, persistent documenta- Urbana–Champaign. He also continued to work with researchers at tion of facts and activities, ongoing communication with the greater CNPSo/Embrapa to study the chemical control of soybean diseases community, and skillful photography. He had nearly completed the and the development of resistant cultivars. book when he died in 2016 after falling at home. The research that Yorinori conducted across 30-plus years pro- Dedicated to having his book published, Yorinori’s family con- vided critical training materials for technical staff and farmers on tacted his former colleague Don Huber, emeritus professor at Pur- the management of soybean diseases both in Brazil and worldwide. due University. Huber brought the project to APS PRESS, and a Yorinori published more than 1,000 technical reports and papers final round of edits and updates was completed by Glen Hartman and oversaw exchange programs with technicians from South Amer- and Embrapa researchers Maurício Meyer, Ademir Henning, and ica, Mexico, and the United States. He also participated in several Cláudia Godoy. technical committees of the World Soybean Research Conference When asked how Yorinori’s work in Brazil translates to the greater and other organizations. world, Hartman responded, “His work provides insights into soybean Yorinori’s most significant contribution to the management of production in Brazil and the unfolding of the soybean rust pandemic. soybean rust was the development and implementation of a program He also documents the story of a 10-year struggle to get soybean called the vazio sanitário (sanitary void), which requires farmers to rust under control, including his struggle to understand soybean maintain a 90-day period free of soybeans before the next summer rust and his success to overcome barriers brought about by lack planting, thereby reducing the overseason production of spores by of knowledge. The lesson for the ‘greater world’ is based on Dr. the causal fungus. First applied in Mato Grosso State, Brazil, in Yorinori’s persistence to educate as many people as possible for the 2006, this program is currently adopted by all the soybean-produc- greater good of all.” ing regions in Brazil and allows much greater efficiency in soybean Soybean Rust: Lessons Learned from the Pandemic in Brazil is now rust control. available in the APS PRESS bookstore. Hartman recommends it as After retiring from Embrapa Soja in 2007, Yorinori started a con- “a good read” for both experienced and novice plant pathologists sulting business and served as a technical–scientific advisor for a range interested in one of the greatest epidemics ever documented. ■ of research institutions, producers’ associations, and agrochemical

APS Foundation Donors of Distinction Meet some of the amazing people who support APS Foundation. Learn more about who they are and why they give their time and resources to support others.

Erica Goss R. James Cook APS has been my professional com- When I think of the good the APS munity for nearly 15 years, and I am Foundation has done for APS and APS happy to support the APS Foundation, members, the ever larger group of grad- as I do organizations in my local commu- uate students at the annual meeting sup- nity. I began giving to the APS Founda- ported by named student travel funds tion because it has supported me and my comes immediately to mind. Created students through multiple awards. The in 1995, the establishment of a student value of APS Foundation support and travel fund named after a mentor, deceased recognition has only become more ap- colleague, or other person of imporance parent to me over the course of my to the donor was, and remains, the foun- 10 years as a faculty member. Like many, I re-evaluated my pri- dation’s most popular fundraiser. I started a student travel fund orities in 2020 and looked to specifically support equity, diversity, named after K. F. Baker, my mentor and coauthor of our two and inclusion initiatives that aim to strengthen my communities. I books on biological control of plant pathogens. I later doubled the was happy to see the recent announcement of the Lafayette Freder- fund and renamed it the Baker-Cook Student Travel Fund. The ick Diversity in Mentoring Award, and I am excited to contribute to most rewarding part is the thank you letters I get from students its success. supported by this fund telling me about themselves, their thesis research, and their future plans. Erica Goss is an associate professor of plant pathology at the Univer- sity of Florida. Donors, continued on page 12

Phytopathology News April 2021 11 Donors, continued from page 11 and legislative branches of government of the scientific societies representing food and agriculture. My other reflection, now as an emeritus member of APS, is the In 1982, Ray Tarleton, APS executive vice president, acquired unlimited opportunity I had to develop leadership skills and meet the publication rights to Ken Baker’s and my first book, Biological and work with outstanding plant pathologists. During the second Control of Plant Pathogens, which the publisher, W. H. Freeman or third year in my job with USDA–ARS at Washington State Uni- and Co., San Francisco, CA, had allowed to go out of print. This versity, Pullman (1967 or 1968), I was appointed as one of seven led Ken Baker and me to submit our second book, The Nature and APS members, each just starting our career, to the APS ad hoc New Practice of Biological Control of Plant Pathogens, for publication by Ideas Committee. Presumably, we were appointed to this commit- APS. As it was pre-APS PRESS, our book was handled by the APS tee because we were relatively new to APS and, therefore, could be Books Committee, one of several committees that made up the APS expected to take a fresh look at the society. Three of us—Wiley Publications Committee. Finding the review process for our manu- Garrett, Paul Williams, and I—would go on to serve as president script lacking, I shared my concerns with Ray Tarleton and Steve of APS. Nelson while on our way by car to the 75th APS Annual Meeting Our charge was to come up with ideas on how to strengthen in Ames, IA. I was president elect at that meeting, which meant APS as a professional scientific society representing plant pathology my first meeting as president was to chair the final meeting of APS specifically and the food and agriculture sciences more generally. I Council. My first order of business was to share the discussion that recall two main recommendations: start a second journal for applied Tarleton, Nelson, and I had about the need to reorganize the APS plant pathology and establish a presence in Washington, DC. Ten Publications Committee and possibly have its own editor-in-chief. years later, in June 1978, I would find myself chair of a committee I appointed Al Weinhold to chair an ad hoc committee and come to design and launch Plant Disease as the replacement for Plant Dis- to the next meeting with a recommendation on reorganizing the ease Reporter. One year later, in July 1979, under the able guidance process by which to handle nonjournal publications of APS. This of Miles Wimer, director of APS Publications, the inaugural issue, led to approval by council of the formation of APS PRESS at the dated January 1980, containing feature articles, original research 76th APS Annual Meeting in Guelph, ON, Canada. reports, and more, was widely distributed to potential subscribers My latest service with more great memories was, after I retired, six months early to make sure APS had a startup list of subscribers two 3-year terms on the Board of Directors of the APS Foundation, when January 1980 rolled around. from August 2009 to August 2015, under the able chairmanships The other recommendation of the New Ideas Committee was of long-time friends George Abawi, Ray Martyn, and Bill Dolezal, to establish a presence in Washington, DC. This recommendation respectively. The highlight of my time on that board was to chair se- would start to take shape in 1991 when President George Agrios lection of the annual recipient of the Raymond J. Tarleton Student appointed Arthur Kelman, Anne Vidaver, Sue Tolin, Luis Sequeira, Fellowship. Ray was a good friend, and it was an honor to represent Cliff Gabriel, and me to the new National Plant Pathology Board him in selecting receipts of this fellowship. (NPPB). Our charge was to introduce offices and committees of I cannot complete “My Story” without remembering the scores the executive and legislative branches of the federal government to of APS members with whom I had the pleasure of working and who APS and the information and services the members of our society became my friends and my wife’s friends. Representing more than could provide if requested. The NPPB would become the Public 60 years since I became an APS member as a graduate student, and Policy Board, with Eversole Associates employed for a short time more than 50 years since I served on my first APS committee, many as a consulting service. As a result, APS has become one of the best of these colleagues sadly are now gone, but by no means are they known and most effective sources of information to the executive forgotten. ■

People

Degrees consin Army National Guard in February 2020 and is attending Of- Alexandra Feltmeyer received her M.S. ficer School to become a commissioned officer in October 2021. degree in plant pathology from the University Zachary Noel of Minnesota in October 2020. Her thesis was received his Ph.D. degree in titled, “Characterization of Injection Wound plant pathology and evolutionary ecology bi- Damage Associated with Propiconazole Treat- ology and behavior from Michigan State Uni- ment of Northern Pin Oak.” Her research re- versity. During his Ph.D. studies, he worked Martin Chilvers vealed a significant difference in tree host re- under , researching the effect sponse based on application methodology of soybean seed treatments on oomycete diver- used to deliver the systemic fungicide to the sity and evolution. This research was aimed at functional xylem. In contrast to a macroinfu- understanding fungicide-resistance evolution sion method, the microinjection technique resulted in significantly and species selection in oomycete communi- longer external cracks and lower percent injection wound closure ties associated with soybean. This research im- 25 months after treatment. However, efficacy of disease suppres- proved knowledge on the breadth of soybean seed treatment activity sion did not differ by injection method over the same period. against soybean-associated oomycetes and moving toward prescrip- Drs. Gregory Bonito Feltmeyer’s committee included her coadvisors Jennifer Juzwik and tion seed treatments. Noel then joined and Frances Trail Brett Arenz, as well as Gary Johnson. Born and raised in Wiscon- at Michigan State University to perform postdoctoral sin, Feltmeyer obtained her B.S. degree in urban forestry from the research. In these mycology labs, Noel’s research focused on the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. She accepted a forest health long-term impacts of crop management combined with fungicides specialist position with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Re- sources in October 2018. In addition, Feltmeyer enlisted in the Wis- People, continued on page 13

Phytopathology News April 2021 12 People, continued from page 12 New Position Devanshi Khokhani joined the De- on the corn, soy, and wheat microbiomes. In October 2020, Noel partment of Plant Pathology, University of joined the Entomology and Plant Pathology Department at Auburn Minnesota–St. Paul, August 31, 2020, as a University as an assistant professor of plant health and microbiomes. tenure-track assistant professor specializing in At Auburn University, his lab focuses on the assembly of seed and plant-associated bacteria, with research and seedling microbiomes, with and without pathogen pressure, and teaching responsibilities. Khokhani received understanding how agricultural management strategies alter the her Ph.D. degree in microbiology from the complexity and resiliency of microbial communities. University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where she studied the effects of plant phenolic com- Despite restrictions to research due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pounds on the type three secretion system in seven graduate students were able to complete the requirements for Erwinia amylovora and Dickeya dadantii. She has also studied the their respective degree programs in the Department of Plant Pathol- role of quorum sensing in differentially regulating virulence factors ogy at the University of Georgia in 2020. of Ralstonia solanacearum as a research associate in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Apart Amelia Lovelace completed her Ph.D. from pathogenic bacteria, she studied multitrophic interactions in- degree, under the direction of Brian Kvitko, volving nitrogen-fixing bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and crop plants with a dissertation titled “Genome-wide Bac- as an assistant scientist in the Department of Bacteriology at the terial Response to Plant Innate Immunity.” same university. Her research at the University of Minnesota will fo- While pursuing her degree, she was awarded cus on bacterial pathogens important to Minnesota agriculture, such the Kenneth E. Papa Outstanding PhD Stu- as Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis, the cause of Goss’s dent Award and was the recipient of a USDA– wilt and blight of corn. She is interested in understanding how this NIFA Pre-Doctoral Fellowship. She also served Gram-positive bacterium makes it to the xylem vessels of corn and as the chair of the APS Graduate Student Com- determining the key nutrients that the pathogen thrives on inside mittee. Currently, Lovelace is a postdoctoral the plant. Her long-term research goals are to enhance plant health associate in the lab of Wenbo Ma at the Sains- and develop sustainable strategies for increasing crop yield. bury Laboratory at Norwich Research Park in the United Kingdom. Bennett Harrelson defended his M.S. Obituaries thesis, “Assessment of Quinone Outside In- hibitor Sensitivity and Frogeye Leaf Spot Race Dr. Kenneth L. Deahl, USDA–ARS re- of Cercospora sojina in Georgia Soybean,” with search plant pathologist, who retired from the James Buck. Harrelson won first place in the Genetic Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables Graduate Student Paper competition of the Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, in 2013, passed Southern Soybean Workers Annual Meeting away on January 27, 2021. in 2020. Ken was born in Pikeville, KY, in 1943 and Kasmita Karki graduated with an M.S. grew up in Fairmount, WV, where, at an early degree under the direction of Bhabesh Dutta age, he developed a love of plants, as well as of and Abolfazl Hajihassani. Her thesis focused hunting and fishing. He graduated with hon- on “Management of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ors in biology and animal science from Fair- niveum and Meloidogyne incognita in Water- mount State College, Fairmount, WV, in 1965. Ken continued his melon.” Karki was awarded a Corteva Travel education at West Virginia University, where he received his master’s Award to attend the Society of Nematologists degree in plant pathology and plant biochemistry and went on to Annual Meeting in 2019. carry out research under the supervision of Mannon Gallegly for Nicole Crenshaw completed her M.S. which he was awarded a Ph.D. degree in 1971 for his dissertation, thesis, “Host-Induced Gene Silencing of the “Laboratory Testing of Potato Tubers for Multigenic Resistance to Fungal Cytochrome p450 Lanosterol c-14a- Late Blight.” During this research, he developed techniques to quan- Demethylase (cyp51) Could Confer Resistance tify the glycoalkaloid content of potato tubers, later adopted as part to Fusarium verticillioides in Maize,” under the of the process of evaluating clones from breeding programs for their direction of Scott Gold and Anthony Glenn. suitability for commercial production. She is now employed as a microbiologist for This led Ken to be recruited to join the USDA–ARS, Vegetable the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service Crops Laboratory at Beltsville, MD, in 1971, where his research em- (FSIS). phasized the role of glycoalkaloids in resistance to Phytophthora infestans in tubers of both commercial potato varieties and wild Sola- The Masters of Plant Protection and Pest num species; he also investigated leptins, which confer resistance to Management (MPPPM) is a comprehensive Colorado potato beetle. Subsequently, his research was redirected interdisciplinary nonthesis degree program in plant protection. to develop methods for controlling mushroom diseases, and Ken Three students in the plant pathology graduate program success- became an authority on mushroom viruses. In 1988, Ken returned fully completed the requirements for the MPPPM degree in 2020. to research on potato late blight. Among his many significant con- Graduates Chelsea Matewe, Seth McAllister, and Patrick Triana were advised by Jonathan Oliver, Bob Kemerait, and Sudeep Bag, respectively. People, continued on page 14

Phytopathology News April 2021 13 People, continued from page 13 to change the old system and accept new technology. Raj also had a photographic memory for wheat varieties and people. Furthermore, tributions were the first identification in 1991 of the A2 mating his grasp of handling large numbers of crosses and management of type of P. infestans in the United States; the detection of metalaxyl the populations and nurseries was unparalleled. resistance in P. infestans in the United States for the first time in 1993; During Raj’s leadership of the CIMMYT Wheat Program, 481 characterization and tracking of new genotypes of P. infestans; and cultivars were released in 51 countries. These cultivars, grown on studies on the role of seed tuber infection in late blight epidemiolo- around 60 million ha, had increased yield stability and potential, gy. Ken led international research on potato late blight, collaborating broad agronomic adaptation, more efficient input utilization, and with scientists in Mexico, Costa Rica, Russia, the United Kingdom, improved disease resistance. This increased global wheat produc- Ireland, Uruguay, and Taiwan, and served as the research leader of tion by more than 200 million tons during his lifetime across most the Vegetable Crops Laboratory for 3 years. wheat regions in the world. Ken was very active in the APS Potomac Division, serving on Other significant achievements included increased rust resistance many committees and being elected as vice president in 1992 and based on slow rusting genes and reduced use of race-specific resis- president in 1993. While president, he presided at the Potomac Divi- tance followed by significant advances in identification of these sion’s very successful Golden Jubilee meeting. Ken served as the Po- genes; increased genetic variability via spring × winter crosses and tomac Division’s representative to the Washington Academy of Sci- use of synthetic wheat; development of wheat lines tolerant to acidic ence for 6 years and was elected a national Fellow of the Academy. soils; increased exchange of information via the international nur- He received the Potomac Division’s Distinguished Service Award in sery system, which ultimately led to the International Wheat Infor- 1999 and the Alumnus of Achievement award from Fairmont State mation System; increased reliability of data and analysis over time College in 2011. and space; an expanded global testing system to identify lines with Ken’s wife Rebecca predeceased him in November 2020. He is the highest yield potential, disease resistance, and abiotic stress toler- held in loving memory by his brother Paul, sons Dennis and Erik, ance; and structuring of the program according to mega-environ- and his daughter Charisse and by his grandchildren, great-grand- ments. None of this happened in a vacuum and required outstand- daughter, and all his extended family. He is remembered with great ing leadership and teamwork from scientists, students, and national affection by his many scientific colleagues across the world. staff working in Mexico and cooperating countries. Human resource development was a critical component in the A titan of the wheat world succumbed to success of the worldwide wheat effort. Raj interacted with and men- COVID-19 on February 17, 2021. Sanjaya tored more than 700 young scientists from around the world. These Rajaram, aged 78, passed away in Cuidad interactions opened minds and doors that never could have been Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. “Raj,” as he was opened otherwise. He also supported many advanced projects in called by those who knew him, carried the the wheat program with universities worldwide. In his efforts with mantle of his grand mentors, Norman Bor- colleagues and students, he published more than 419 publications, laug and Glenn Anderson, the driving forces 119 of which were in refereed journals. of the wheat revolution of the 20th century. In honor of his lifetime dedication and success in increasing food He took over CIMMYT’s bread wheat pro- production and helping to reduce world hunger, Rajaram was awarded gram in the early 1970s and proceeded to the World Food Prize in 2014. Over his career he received numer- lead a second Green Revolution in wheat production into the early ous honorary degrees and awards, including the Pravasi Bharatiya 2000s that continues through today. Samman Award, the highest honor conferred on Indians overseas, Rajaram was born and raised in Raipur, a small Indian farming and the Padmi Shri Award, India; Fellow, IAAS; Presidential Award, village near the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The family was of Fellow, and International Service in Agronomy by ASA and CSSA; modest means, and Raj was one of the few in the village who went the Rank Award, United Kingdom; the Friendship Award, China; to school. He was a good student and ultimately received a scholar- the Crawford Fund Derek Tribe Award, Australia; the Khwarizmi ship to study agriculture at the college in Gorakhpur, close to his International Award, Iran; Order of Quetzal Award, Guatemala. home. Once finished, he went on to IARI, New Delhi, for his M.S. After his retirement from CIMMYT, Rajaram served as director degree under the guidance of M. S. Swaminathan and N. L. Dha- of the Integrated Gene Management Program at the International wan and was then awarded a Ph.D. scholarship to the University of Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) before Sydney, where he studied plant pathology and breeding under I. A. formally retiring in 2008. In his retirement, he continued as a spe- Watson and N. Derera. Upon his return to India, Anderson offered cial scientific advisor to CIMMYT and ICARDA. him a postdoctoral fellowship in India, and after 6 months, he asked In addition to his successful career as a plant scientist, Rajaram Raj to go to CIMMYT in Mexico. launched and operated Resource Seeds International, a company In Mexico, Rajaram impressed Borlaug and Anderson and went created to develop and market the seed of improved wheat varieties. from postdoctoral fellow in 1969–1971 to geneticist in 1971–1972 In recent years, Raj was president of Fundacion Ambiental del Valle and became head of CIMMYT’s Bread Wheat Breeding Program del Yaqui, A.C., a nonprofit foundation supporting environmental in 1972. In 1996 he was appointed as director, International Wheat improvement in Sonora through afforestation and reforestation with Program. Borlaug and Anderson saw Raj’s ability to “feel” the plants; native trees. he also had deep empathy for, and worked well with, the young na- The world has lost one of the greatest “Hunger Fighters” of our tional scientists training in the program. Both Borlaug and Ander- time. Rest in peace friend and mentor. Deep condolences are sent to son knew how critical it was to have open-minded, young scientists the Rajaram family. ■

Phytopathology News April 2021 14 Graduate Student Spotlight: David Strickland

What type of degree program are you Who is your major professor? What are some of your interests outside enrolled in? Dr. Kerik D. Cox. of science? Ph.D., Cornell University. Cooking, board and card games, and per- Are you an APS member? sonal finance. What year are you in graduate school? Yes. I am currently a fourth-year student, with What is your hometown? an expected graduation date of spring 2023. How have you been involved in the APS Penn Yan, NY, USA. organization? What is your academic department/ I attended the Northeast–Potomac Joint What is your favorite pathogen/plant section called at your institution? Division Meeting this March, and I look disease? Section of Plant Pathology and Plant- forward to getting more involved with APS I’ve really enjoyed studying P. leucotricha Microbe Biology. through committees and the national an- (apple powdery mildew). nual meetings. If you know you are pursuing a specific Please provide a brief descrip- career sector, what is it? tion of your research. I am interested in exploring careers in agri- My research is focused on evalu- business industries. ating applied chemical manage- How did you become interested in the ment solutions for apple powdery field of plant pathology? mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha). My prior experiences providing technical My molecular work focuses on support in Drs. Gennaro Fazio, Steve evaluation of P. leucotricha pop- Reiners, and Sarah Pethybridge’s research ulations for resistance to com- programs at Cornell AgriTech provided me monly used single-site fungicides. a lot of exposure to the field over the past I also have a sideline in fruit fin- 10 years. That, as well as my youth spent in ish disorders (apple scarf skin) the family orchard and being a part of 4-H, and postharvest studies (bitter really solidified my interest in agriculture. rot, black rot); projects that were The applied aspects of the plant pathology prompted by problems New York discipline interest me most because I enjoy State growers are experiencing helping people solve problems that have an in their orchards. immediate need, such as the preservation of What’s something interest- our society’s food supply. ing most people don’t know about you? Do you have any social media handles that you want to share? I write sci-fi short fiction in my free time. To date, I have one E-mail: [email protected] ■ work published! Twitter: @dstrickland64

Learn more about the APS Graduate Student Committee initiatives and student opportunities. Connect with the committee on Twitter @plantpathgrads and Facebook.

Classifieds

Post-Doctoral Research Associate (Fun- chum sp. and Fusarium sp. in cucurbits. The collection, data analysis, and compiling gicide Resistance and Fungal Population candidate is expected to utilize techniques manuscripts for publication in appropriate Genomics) not limited to classical mycology, includ- journals. The successful candidate may be University of Georgia (Tifton, Georgia) ing fungicide sensitivity assays, genomics, expected to work closely with different key and bioinformatics. The candidate is also industry stakeholders and could be involved A postdoctoral researcher position is expected to utilize field- and greenhouse- in supervising undergraduates. The incum- available in Dr. Bhabesh Dutta’s Veg- based assays to test hypotheses. In addition bent will also be expected to present results etable Extension Pathology Program at to conducting research, the incumbent is at local and national conferences. The can- the University of Georgia, Tifton, GA. expected to work closely with an interdis- didate is also expected to assist PI in writing The Post-doctoral Research Associate will ciplinary team across multiple states to evalu- and preparing federal proposals for submis- conduct research on detecting and under- ate the cultural practices that reduce Alter- sion. standing mechanisms of fungicide resistance naria losses in broccoli. The incumbent is in Alternaria sp. in brassica and Colletotri- expected to take a leadership role in data Classifieds, continued on page 16

Phytopathology News April 2021 15 Classifieds, continued from page 15 ous postharvest handling and storage • Think big, start small scenarios. • Embrace complexity Ph.D. degree in plant pathology or plant • Identifying and defining new opportu- • See it through sciences or a related area is required. The can- nities for our products on produce that • Operate with care didate should have a working understand- are valuable to customers. • Keep perspective ing of and experience in projects related to • Developing appropriate model systems fungicide resistance and published articles for new product testing to enable effi- Benefits on related subject matter. Experience with cient discovery and early-phase product • Employees enjoy a generous and flex- fungicide sensitivity assay, genomics, and testing. ible paid time-off policy. bioinformatics is preferred. • Acting as a thought partner to leader- • Unlimited paid sick time. Interested candidates should apply here. ship and team members on technical • Physical and mental health benefits. feasibility of product pipeline. • For new parents, paid maternity and • Mentoring junior team members and paternity leave. Scientist (Postharvest/Plant Physiology) helping the team develop new skills. • Other fun perks like endless coffee/tea • Working flexible hours when needed, and snacks! Mori (Boston, Massachusetts) including the occasional evening and Mori is an Equal Opportunity Em- Company Background weekend. This is a brand-new role on our team and ployer and complies with the Americans Mori (formerly known as Cambridge with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as Crops) is a fast-moving, venture-backed, comes with the opportunity and flexibility to shape it to make it your own. amended by the ADA Amendments Act B2B start-up focused on innovations in the of 2008, and all applicable state and local food, agriculture, and packaging industries. Qualifications fair employment practices laws. Employ- We leverage the unique properties of a Ideal candidates will have the following ment opportunities at Mori are based upon naturally derived protein found in silk to qualifications: one’s qualifications and capabilities to per- extend the shelf life of perishable foods, • Ph.D. in plant science/horticulture or form the essential functions of a particu- including whole and cut produce, meat, related discipline with 2+ years post- lar job. All employment opportunities are and seafood. Ph.D. research and/or industry experi- provided without regard to race, religion, More Food, Less Our mission is simple, “ ence preferred, or a master’s degree in sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medi- Waste .” Our company goals are to reduce these fields with 5+ years experience. cal conditions, national origin, age, veteran food waste, improve supply chain efficien- • Demonstrated postharvest and plant status, disability, genetic information, or cies, and increase food access. physiology experience with annual and any other characteristic protected by law. biennial crops and experience working Job Description If interested in applying to the Mori with leafy greens preferred. In this role, you will join the Product team, please email your resume and a • Research focus in postharvest disease brief cover letter explaining your relevant team and collaborate with Mori’s scientists, or spoilage and strong interest in food engineers, and research associates to design experience and interest to Recruiting@ waste reduction. mori.com by April 15, 2021. ■ experiments and conduct research on silk • Collaborative team player. mechanisms of action related to plant physi- • Excellent written and oral communica- ology of fruits and vegetables. As part of our tion skills for a wide range of technical dynamic team, who are driven to bring ex- backgrounds. citing new products to market that prevent • Question-driven, curious, experienced food waste, you will be tasked with leverag- scientist with demonstrated ability to Calendar ing information to support development of work independently. products that extend shelf life throughout • Experienced in data analysis and data- the food chain. Your responsibilities will driven decision making. APS-SPONSORED EVENTS include: • Passion for Mori’s mission and values • APRIL 2021 Conducting applied research on a wide and enthusiasm for working in a multi- range of postharvest produce items, in- faceted, start-up environment. OPRO Sponsored Lunch and Learn cluding leafy greens. with Scientific Communication Ex- • Designing studies that further under- Start date June 1, 2021 or sooner perts—Carlyn Buckler and Matthew standing of silk coverage and adhesion Kasson on produce. Team culture • Developing mechanistic studies to de- Our tight-knit team has spent their ca- JUNE 2021 fine product limits of performance based reers developing and commercializing tech- on plant physiology metrics and vari- nology. Our company values are: APS Pacific Division Meeting APS North Central Division Meeting AUGUST 2021 Plant Health 2021 Online FIND THE LATEST JOBS IN PLANT PATHOLOGY Search online for new job opportunities in the field of plant pathology SEPTEMBER 2021 using the APS Job Center. Visit the APS Job Center. APS Caribbean Division Meeting

Phytopathology News April 2021 16 TRENDING SPOTLIGHT Phytopathology Phytobiomes Rpg7: A New Gene for Stem Rust Resis- Tomato Genotype Modulates Selection and Pathogen Spotlight: Botrytis Gray Mold tance from Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum Responses to Root Microbiota Botrytis is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen E. Henningsen, A. H. Sallam, O. Matny, E. French, T. Tran, and A. S. Iyer-Pascuzzi that infects thousands of plant species and T. Szinyei, M. Figueroa, and B. J. Steffenson Crop Establishment SIMulator: A Qualita- causes significant economic loss. Unsur- Peeling the Onion: Towards a Better Under- tive Aggregative Model to Predict the Role of prisingly, B. cinerea, the causal agent of standing of Botrytis Diseases of Onion Phytobiomes on Field Crop Establishment gray mold, was ranked as the second most M. B. F. Steentjes, O. E. Scholten, and J. R. Lamichhane, M. P. You, M. J. Barbetti, important fungal pathogen by the plant pa- J. A. L. van Kan and J.-N. Aubertot thology community. These spotlight articles Advances in Understanding Fungicide Using the Microbiome Amplification in the March issue of Phytopathology present Resistance in Botrytis cinerea in China Preference Tool (MAPT) to Reveal Medicago many breakthroughs in paramount and ur- W. Shao, Y. Zhao, and Z. Ma sativa-Associated Eukaryotic Microbes gent issues with diseases caused by Botrytis. K. Moccia, S. Papoulis, A. Willems, Plant Disease Z. Marion, J. A. Fordyce, and S. L. Lebeis Be Included in the Next MPMI Evolution of Disease Severity and Sus- Focus Issue! ceptibility in the Asteraceae to the Powdery Plant Health Progress In response to the Top 10 Unanswered Mildew Golovinomyces latisporus: Major Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Causes Decay and Questions in MPMI, the 2022 MPMI Fo- Phylogenetic Structure Coupled With Highly Forms Sclerotia in Potato Tubers in Idaho cus Issue will address the role of the abiotic Variable Disease Severity at Fine Scales J. W. Woodhall, L. Brown, M. Harrington, environment on interactions between plants M. Bradshaw, E. Goolsby, C. Mason, and N. Olsen, J. Miller, and K. M. Duellman P. C. Tobin and microbes. Focus Issue Editors Jacquie Occurrence of Copper-Resistant Xan- Bede, Kenichi Tsuda, and Jeanne Harris Graft-Transmissible Diseases of Ribes— thomonas perforans and X. gardneri in Illinois will be accepting submissions through July Pathogens, Impact, and Control Tomato Fields Špak, 24, 2021. J. I. Koloniuk, and I. E. Tzanetakis S. Khanal, S. R. Hind, and M. Babadoost Dollar Spot Suppression on Creeping Bent- Efficacy Assessment of a New Fungicide, Call for Papers on Candidatus Liber- grass in Response to Repeated Foliar Nitrogen Miravis Ace, for Control of Fusarium Head ibacter Pathosystems Applications Blight in Wheat Phytopathology Focus Issue Editors Eliza- R. Townsend, M. D. Millican, D. Smith, L. Singh, J. P. Wight, J. Crank, L. Thorne, E. Nangle, K. Hockemeyer, D. Soldat, and Y. Dong, and N. Rawat beth (Betsy) Pierson, Jaime Cubero, P. L. Koch Judith K. Brown, Caroline Roper, and PhytoFrontiersTM Nian Wang have selected Candidatus MPMI Effect of Ozone on Inactivation of Purified Liberibacter pathosystems as the topic A Novel Role of Salt- and Drought- Pepper Mild Mottle Virus and Contaminated for the January 2022 Focus Issue. Submit Induced RING 1 Protein in Modulating Plant Pepper Seed your research by June 15, 2021. Defense Against Hemibiotrophic and Necro- J. R. Stommel, J. M. Dumm, and J. Hammond trophic Pathogens Development and Use of a Seedling Growth Floral Probiotics Reduce Apple Disease V. S. Ramu, S. Oh, H.-K. Lee, R. S. Nandety, Retardation Assay to Quantify and Map Loci In a paper recently published in Phytobiomes Y. Oh, S. Lee, et al. Underlying Variation in the Maize Basal De- Journal, researchers found that treating apple Chitin in Strawberry Cultivation: Foliar fense Response flowers with a probiotic spray reduced the Growth and Defense Response Promotion, Y. Wang, J. Holland, and P. Balint-Kurti ■ incidence of fire blight. Flowers may be a but Reduced Fruit Yield and Disease Resis- particularly promising system in which grow- tance by Nutrient Imbalances ers can actively influence microbiomes— C. De Tender, B. Vandecasteele, B. Verstraeten, compared to roots and leaves, flowers are S. Ommeslag, T. De Meyer, J. De Visscher, short-lived, which could make reshaping et al. their microbiomes both more technically The Conserved Arginine Required for Avr- feasible and biologically impactful. ■ Rps4 Processing Is Also Required for Recogni- tion of Its N-Terminal Fragment in Lettuce J. Su, Q.-M. Nguyen, A. Kimble, S. M. Pike, S. H. Kim, and W. Gassmann

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