Chakradhar Mattupalli (guest speaker from WSU)

Berry and potato pathology program: A marriage of convenience

Bio: Chakradhar Mattupalli is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at Washington State University. He earned his B.S. and M.S. in Agriculture from India, and Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Noble Research Institute LLC, in Ardmore, OK, and then joined Colorado State University, where he was a Research Professor and Extension Specialist at the San Luis Vally Research Center. Since February 2021, he has been leading the Berry and Potato Pathology program at WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center. Mattupalli’s research focuses on understanding pathogen biology and developing disease management strategies for blueberry and potato crops in northwest Washington.

Abstract: The Berry and Potato Pathology program pivots on two commodity crops: highbush blueberry and potato. Washington state produces 26% of blueberries grown in the U.S., generating an annual revenue of $205 million. Fresh market potatoes are widely grown in Skagit County, produced on about 11,000 acres with a farm gate value of $70 million. In addition, northwestern Washington has a designated seed potato isolation district to ensure the production of superior quality seed potatoes. The mild maritime climate in this region, coupled with new production and pest management issues, poses unique challenges to blueberry and potato growers. In this seminar, I will summarize five years of grower-oriented research and Extension activities focused on developing disease risk models, promoting fungicide stewardship, understanding biology of soilborne pathogens, and improving methods for molecular detection of pathogens.

Zoom Recording