Dr. Joey Hulbert and Dr. Kylie Swisher-Grimm
"Citizen science can enhance biosecurity surveillance: opportunities for plant disease monitoring and research at WSU" Dr. Joey Hulbert, post-doctorial researcher with Dr. Gary Chastagner. Abstract Citizen science is an approach to research that benefits society through both research and participation outcomes. While limited in its application, there is enormous potential to engage the public more […]
Dr. Jenny Broome
"New Tools for Safe-Guarding Berry Plant Health" From the Nursery to the Consumer" Dr. Janet C. "Jenny" Broome, Senior Research Manager, Global Plant Health Department, and Scientist, Driscoll's Inc., Watsonville, […]
Dr. Arild Arifin
"Early detection of major quarantine postharvest pathogens of apple and pear in the U.S. Pacific Northwest" Dr. Arild R. Arifin, Department of Plant Pathology, Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center Washington State University Abstract: The postharvest pathogens Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis, Phacidiopycnis pyri, Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens, and Neofabraea spp. are important quarantine pathogens of apple and pear from […]
Dr. Robert Brueggeman
"Rpt5, Rpg1, and rpg4/5: Characterizing Broad Resistance against Important Necrotrophic and Biotrophic Fungal Pathogens of Barley" Dr. Robert Brueggeman Associate Professor, Barley Breeding/Molecular Genetics Robert A. Nilan Endowed Chair in Barley Research and Education Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences, WSU Abstract Two pathogens that threaten barley production worldwide are the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Pyrenophora […]
No Seminar
Labor Day
Dr. Steve Klosterman
"Retrospective and Prospective Look at Discoveries from Verticillium Comparative Genomics" Dr. Steve Klosterman, Research Molecular Biologist United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Salinas, California Fungal pathogens in the genus Verticillium cause Verticillium wilt of high value crops, ornamentals, and trees worldwide. Today we recognize 10 species of Verticillium; the most notorious among these […]
Kayla Spawton, PhD Candidate Defense Seminar
"Ecology and Management of Stemphylium Leaf Spot of Spinach" Kayla A. Spawton, PhD Candidate Defense Seminar Abstract Stemphylium leaf spot of spinach has re-emerged as a disease of economic concern […]
Purnima Puri
"Bacterial Ice Nucleation" Purnima Puri, M.S. Student, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University Abstract Did you know plant pathogens can facilitate ice formation? Pure water freezes at about -38°C, but in the presence of agents like dust particles or microorganisms, this process occurs at temperatures as high as -2°C (Lukas et al. 2022). Certain […]
Roshani Baral
"Disease-Suppressive Soils as a Tool for Disease Management" Roshani Baral, M.S. Student, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University Abstract As soilborne diseases continue to challenge crop production, suppressive soils offer a way to manage the disease condition even in the presence of a susceptible host and a virulent pathogen. To date, several microbial species […]
Jessica Schallon
"Phytochemical Production and Applications to Plant Pathology" Jessica Schallon, M.S. Student, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University Abstract Plants have an incredible capacity to manufacture even very complex chemicals. For a long time, plants have served as organic chemistry factories, producing compounds that have been found to be helpful as human medicine (Houghton 2001). […]
Scott Anderson, PhD Exit Seminar
"Novel Molecular Approaches to Identify and Control Plant Parasitic Nematodes" Scott Anderson, PhD Student, Exit Seminar, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University Abstract Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are responsible for 10-15% crop loss worldwide amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars of crop loss annually11; and in the U.S. alone, the annual crop loss […]
Kristen Bullough
"Mycoremediation: The Potential Effect of Fungi on Remediating Heavy Metal Pollution" Kristen Bullough, PhD Candidate, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University Abstract Mycoremediation can be used as a bioremediation tool to remove heavy metals and other pollutants from contaminated sites, including soil and wastewater. Remediating heavy-metal pollution specifically is becoming critical to maintaining important […]