Division News 58th APS Caribbean Division Meeting—a Great Success The Caribbean Division facility for the micro propagation of banana, University of Guam; Yanisia Duarte Leal, of the American pineapple, potato, sugarcane and some tropical Cuban National Center for Animal and Plant Phytopathological Society fruit and forest trees; a visit to a small grower Health (CENSA); Marbely del Toro Benitez, held its 58th annual meeting farm was also included as well as a tour of the Cuban National Center for Animal and last May 6-10, 2019 in capital city, Havana. Plant Health (CENSA); and Lina Miranda Varadero, Cuba. The meeting A graduate student research competition Diaz, Universidad Industrial de Santander, was attended by 135 people, 64 Cubans and was also organized at the APS-CD. Students Colombia. 71 plant pathologists from 19 countries. from six different countries showcased Many thanks to the local meeting The APS-CD meeting was organized in their research findings They competed for organizers, Yamila Martinez Zubiar, Cuban conjunction with the Latin American Society a monetary award and a membership to National Center for Animal and Plant Health of Phytopathology (ALF) and the Cuban APS and APS-CD for one year. William (CENSA) and APS-CD past president, and National Center for Animal and Plant Groover, Auburn University, and Lidia Nivian Montes de Oca Martinez, Director Health (CENSA). The meeting started with Chang Sidorchuk, Cuban National Center of the Cuban National Center for Animal and a welcome reception, and continued with for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA), tied Plant Health (CENSA), for the time dedicated student research competition sessions, poster for the first place award for their presentations to the meeting planning and logistics, for sessions, technical sessions, a field tour, and “Plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria: sponsoring many of the event activities, for award session and a well-attended closing A potential management strategy for welcoming everybody in Varadero, and for the ceremony. There was also a declaration of the Meloidogyne spp. on turfgrass” and “Selection excellent idea to have organized the meeting in year 2020 as The International Year of Plant of promising bean genotypes resistant to Varadero, a gorgeous place. Health. BGYMV with the molecular marker bgm-1,” Many thanks also to other meeting There were 132 paper contributions in respectively. Carlos Alberto Salomón Solarte organizers: Ronald French-Monar, USDA- several different sessions including etiology (Universidad de Nariño, Colombia) placed APHIS-PPQ-Field Operations and president and epidemiology, genetic resistance, second for his presentation “Serological, of the Latin American Phytopathological biocontrol and plant disease management. molecular, and microscopic virus detection in Association; Angel Rebollar Alviter, Session topics were the identification and Canna edulis Ker. in Nariño, Colombia.” In Universidad Autónoma Chapingo and past characterization of fungi, virus, bacteria, the poster competition, Mylene Corzo Lopez, APS-CD Secretary-Treasurer; and Gilberto nematode and phytoplasma; interaction Cuban National Center for Animal and Plant Olaya, Syngenta and APS Division Forum between viruses and vectors; phytosanitary Health (CENSA), placed first with her poster Representative; Kira Bowen, Auburn management of possible pathogens that are “Current situation of Xanthomonas spp. and University and APS president for presenting an a threat to the Caribbean region with special Phaseolus vulgaris L. pathosystem in the west update from the APS council; and Benedicto emphasis in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense region of Cuba.” Martinez Coca, Cuban National Center for Race 4 in bananas; modeling and differential A travel award was presented to Lina Animal and Plant Health (CENSA), Carlos equations to support plant protection; plant Miranda Diaz, Universidad Industrial de Urias, Organismo Internacional Regional de growth promoting microorganisms; biocontrol Santander, Colombia to attend the APS Sanidad Agropecuaria (OIRSA); and Gilberto products being used in the region; and Caribbean Division meeting. An APS and Olaya, Syngenta and APS Division Forum diversity of nematode population as indicators APS-CD membership for one year was given Representative, for judging at the Graduate of soil health. to the following students for their excellent Student Research Competition. The field tour focused on the management presentations during the oral and poster We plan to have another great meeting in of banana diseases (soil-borne and foliar competition: Elianne Piloto Sardiñas, 2020 and expect to see again APS Caribbean diseases) with fungal biocontrol products Cuban National Center for Animal and Division members, other APS members and (Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulata Plant Health (CENSA); Heydi Gonzalez plant pathologist from different parts of the and Trichoderma asperellum). The tour also Alvarez, Cuban National Center for Animal world. n included a visit to a tissue culture production and Plant Health; Tristan C. Paulino,

APS-CD graduate student competition winners (left to right) First place, Lidia ChangAPS Sidorchuk-C D Graduate and William student competitionGroover; Second winners place, (from Carlos left to Alberto right): FSalomón ir st place, Lidia Solarte; First place poster presentation, Mylene Corzo Lopez. C hang Sidorchuk and William Goover; Second place, C arlos Alberto Salomon Solarte; F irst place poster presentation: Mylene C orzo L opez. November 2019 143

APS-C D Graduate student competition winners (from left to right): F ir st place, Lidia C hang Sidorchuk and William Goover; Second place, C arlos Alberto Salomon Solarte; F irst place poster presentation: Mylene C orzo L opez.