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1 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016 From the Department Head Lawrence E. Datnoff (continued on page 2) PPCP NEWS Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Research . Extension . Teaching January 2016 Happy 2016! Our Department continues to excel on so many academic and professional levels. Faculty and students published a number of refereed manuscripts and extension articles; gave a lot of presentations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally; and competed for grants to support their research and outreach. They also won a number of prestigious awards for their efforts that included American Phytopathological Society (APS)-Southern Division Outstanding Plant Pathologist Award (Dr. Ray Schneider), Louisiana County Agricultural Agents Association Achievement Award (Dr. Raj Singh), Dupont Assistantship (Ben McInnes), Monsanto Scholarship (Sanjay Pokhrel) and the APS first Departmental Plant Pathology Experiential Award (PPCP graduate students). Our M.S. and Ph.D. graduate students were highly engaged, and their efforts and outstanding contributions continue to infuse the department with Rose Rosette Disease Confirmed in Louisiana By Raj Singh Rose rosette disease recently was detected for the first time in Louisiana. The disease was found on landscape Knock Out roses growing in a commercial landscape in Bossier City. Rose rosette disease is caused by a virus known as Rose rosette virus. It is a devastating disease of roses – particularly as all cultivars are susceptible, including Knock Out roses and wild multiflora roses (Rosa multiflora). Symptoms produced by rose rosette disease are highly variable, depending on the cultivar or species of the rose and the plant’s age. Several different types of symptoms have been reported on infected roses, but some of the more recognizable symptoms of rose rosette disease include: “witch’s broom,” excessive thorniness, thickened new canes, abnormal discoloration or excessive reddening of new foliage. (continued on page 4) Photo1. Knock Out rose infected by rose rosette virus.

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1 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

From the Department Head

Lawrence E. Datnoff

(continued on page 2)

PPCP NEWSDepartment of Plant Pathology and Crop PhysiologyResearch . Extension . Teaching

January 2016

Happy 2016!Our Department continues to excel on

so many academic and professional levels. Faculty and students published a number of refereed manuscripts and extension articles; gave a lot of presentations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally; and competed for grants to support their research and outreach. They also won a number of prestigious awards for their efforts that included American Phytopathological Society (APS)-Southern Division Outstanding Plant Pathologist Award (Dr. Ray Schneider), Louisiana County Agricultural Agents Association Achievement Award (Dr. Raj Singh), Dupont Assistantship (Ben McInnes), Monsanto Scholarship (Sanjay Pokhrel) and the APS first Departmental Plant Pathology Experiential Award (PPCP graduate students). Our M.S. and Ph.D. graduate students were highly engaged, and their efforts and outstanding contributions continue to infuse the department with

Rose Rosette Disease Confirmed in LouisianaBy Raj Singh

Rose rosette disease recently was detected for the first time in Louisiana. The disease was found on landscape Knock Out roses growing in a commercial landscape in Bossier City.

Rose rosette disease is caused by a virus known as Rose rosette virus. It is a devastating disease of roses – particularly as all cultivars are susceptible, including Knock Out roses and wild multiflora roses (Rosa multiflora). Symptoms produced by rose rosette disease are highly variable, depending on the cultivar or species of the rose and the plant’s age. Several different types of symptoms have been reported on infected roses, but some of the more recognizable symptoms of rose rosette disease include: “witch’s broom,” excessive thorniness, thickened new canes, abnormal discoloration or excessive reddening of new foliage.

(continued on page 4)

Photo1. Knock Out rose infected by rose rosette virus.

2 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

HELP US TO ENSURE EXCELLENCE IN PLANT PATHOLOGY AND CROP PHYSIOLOGY

While the Department receives monetary support for core research/extension programs (LSU AgCen-ter) and its teaching program (LSU College of Agriculture), these funds are not sufficient to provide the resources to move our programs to the next level of performance. Private financial support is becoming a vital resource to enhance existing programs and begin new initiatives. Please consider contributing to help support our programs.

You may help to support the Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Department by donating to one of the below listed funds:

#104626 - Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Graduate Student Invited Lecturer Fund

#100250 - Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Excellence Fund

#100246 - Dr. C. W. Edgerton Memorial Fund

#100247 - Dr. Weston J. Martin Fellowship Fund

#104992 - M. C. “Chuck” Rush Plant Pathology Teaching Laboratory Fund

#104814 - Don Ferrin Teaching Student Fund

Donations can be made by accessing the LSU Foundation site: www.lsufoundation.org/give or by send-ing a personal check made out to the LSU Foundation with a letter stating which fund you would like to donate to and then mail to:

Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology 302 Life Sciences Building LSU Campus Baton Rouge, LA 70803 For more information contact:

Lawrence E. Datnoff

Professor and Department Head

[email protected]

or 225-578-1366

vitality and enthusiasm, while helping to answer basic scientific questions along with solving plant disease and environmental problems of importance to the clientele of Louisiana. A number of students graduated with their M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.

In this current newsletter, you’ll see for yourself these wonderful activities and achievements, which are having profound effects on the University and AgCenter’s missions, Louisiana agriculture and beyond.

Happy Reading!!!!

(continued from page 1)

Happy 2016!

3 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

Table of Contents

From the Department Head ............................................................................................1

Rose Rosette Disease ........................................................................................................1

Awards and Honors ............................................................................................................5

Outstanding Plant Pathologist Award ........................................................................5

LCAAA Achievement Award ............................................................................................5

LSU College of Ag Alumni Award ..................................................................................5

Monsanto Graduate Student Scholarship ..................................................................6

APS Departmental Plant Pathology Experiential Award .......................................6

GSA scholarships .................................................................................................................7

C. W. Edgerton Award. .......................................................................................................7

PhDs Awarded ......................................................................................................................7

Summer Technical Sharing Sessions. ...........................................................................8

PPCP 2015 Graduates ........................................................................................................9

2015 Student Guest Speaker ...........................................................................................9

Students Research Presentations ............................................................................... 10

PPCP Faculty Activities January-December 2015 ................................................. 11

4 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

(continued from page 1)

Infected roses produce a cluster of new shoots from a single point on the parent canes. The new shoots elongate rapidly and appear like “witch’s broom” (Photo 1). Infected canes produce excessive thorns that are green or red and soft in the beginning but later harden off. The presence of excessive thorns, especially on newly-infected canes, is one of the most reliable symptoms to help with diagnosing rose rosette disease (Photo 2).

grafting. The eriophyid mites crawl from plant to plant or move long distances with wind. The virus is systemic and can persist in the live roots of infected rose bushes, but it is not soil-borne. Grafting of virus-infected scions on healthy root stock and vice-versa may also result in the virus transmission.

Although management of rose rosette disease in infected roses currently is not possible, several precautions can be taken to avoid introduction of the disease or to reduce its spread from infected to healthy roses. Remove infected roses completely, including roots. New growth from infected roots may serve as a source of the virus. Dispose of infected roses immediately by burning. If burning is not feasible, bag the infected roses before removal.

The wild multiflora rose is highly susceptible to rose rosette disease and eriophyid mites and may serve as a source for both the virus and the mites. Remove symptomatic multiflora roses that exist in areas close to the cultivated roses.

An integrated management of eriophyid mites, including cultural practices, may reduce the population of mites and thus the potential spread of rose rosette disease. Start with disease-free, healthy roses and inspect for any rose rosette disease symptoms before purchasing roses. Properly space out the new roses to avoid mites crawling from one plant to another. Clean tools and other equipment used for pruning.

Rose Rosette Disease

Another symptom that may be used to diagnose rose rosette disease is that infected canes are thicker than parent canes. Reddening of new foliage and shoots also is associated with rose rosette disease. A positive confirmation of the disease can be determined by amplifying the cDNA of the virus (Photo 3).

Although rose rosette disease produces unique symptoms on roses, those symptoms can easily be confused with symptoms caused by other diseases, pests, stresses and other factors. Improper use of herbicides such as glyphosate (Roundup and many other products), may result in distortion and clustering of new growth that looks like “witch’s broom”. Abnormal discoloration and distortion of new foliage has been constantly associated with rose rosette disease, but feeding injury from chili thrips, which is a very significant rose growing issue in Louisiana, also cause similar symptoms. In addition, excessive reddening of new growth is a normal character of some rose cultivars.

Rose rosette disease is transmitted by a tiny eriophyid mite, Phyllocoptes fructiphilus or by

Photo 2. Excessive thorns on infected rose canes.

Photo 3. Amplication of cDNA with Rose rosette virus specific primers from infected rose tissue.

5 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

Schneider Wins Outstanding Plant Pathologist Award

Dr. Raymond W. Schneider, a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, received the American Phytopathological Society’s Southern Division Outstanding Plant Pathologist Award at their annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, Feb. 1-2, 2015. This honor is granted to a member in recognition of distinguished contributions to plant pathology. Dr. Schneider’s exceptional contributions have included many important and ground breaking research findings in the areas of host pathogen physiology and genetics as well as new strategies in cultural, chemical and biological control of plant diseases. He also has been an outstanding mentor for many graduate students and has taught numerous undergraduate and graduate courses.

Awards and Honors

Ray Schneider

Singh Receives Achievement Award from Louisiana County Agricultural Agents Association

Dr. Raghuwinder “Raj” Singh, assistant professor in the LSU Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, received the Louisiana County Agricultural Agents Association Achievement Award at their 69th annual meeting in Monroe, La. on June 2, 2015. He received this award in recognition of his outstanding state-wide extension outreach program and exceptional services in the areas of plant health diagnostics to county agents and other members of the Louisiana County Agricultural Agents Association. Dr. Raj Singh (left) receiving the award from Dr. Boyd

Padgett, LSU AgCenter’s Central Regional Director.

Benjamin McInnes Honored by LSU College of Agriculture Alumni

Ben McInnes was honored at the LSU College of Agriculture Alumni Spring Awards Ceremony for receiving a DuPont Crop Protection Assistantship. Dupont created this competitive assistantship for students working in the area of crop protection. Ben’s master’s thesis research will be investigating race differentiation of reniform nematodes. He is being advised by Dr. Edward McGawley, professor of plant pathology.

Benjamin McInnes (R) with Dr. Rogers Leonard, LSU AgCenter program leader for plant and soil systems.

6 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

Awards and Honors

Pokhrel Wins Competitive Monsanto Graduate Student Scholarship

Sanjay Pokhrel recently received the Monsanto Graduate Student Scholarship. He is pursuing his master’s degree in plant pathology with Dr. Clayton Hollier as his advisor. This competitive scholarship is part of Monsanto’s broader focus on innovation and investment in agriculture. The company believes investment in educating future leaders pursuing STEM careers in agriculture is the key to meeting the challenges the world faces in feeding 9 billion people by 2050. The next generation of innovators, like Pokhrel, will be the ones to ascend and meet the challenges of global food security.

Sanjay Pokhrel

Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Graduate Students Receive the First Competitive Experiential Award from the American Phytopathological Society

Graduate students, led by Josielle Rezende, Ally Lunos and Rebecca Sweany, from the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology (PPCP) were awarded the first Departmental Plant Pathology Experiential Award by the Office of Private Sector Relations from the American Phytopathological Society (APS). This competitive award was created in 2015 with seed funding from the Don and Judy Mathre Education Endowment and through the support of private sector companies. The purpose of this award is to enhance the awareness of business operations and potential career opportunities in institutions outside of academia. With this award, the students visited several companies and governmental agencies in California, following the 2015 Annual APS meeting in Pasadena, that included Seminis, Driscoll’s and the USDA. In addition, they visited University of California, Riverside and University of California, Davis. This trip allowed the PPCP students to learn more about different career choices and see plant pathogens on crops not commonly grown in Louisiana (e.g. raspberries, blackberries, grapes and tree nuts), as well as learn about their disease management practices.

Photo (L to R): Eduardo Chagas, Yenjit Raruang, Adam Bigott, Sebastian Albu, Josielle Rezende, Ally Lunos, Dongfang Hu, and Rebecca Sweany.

7 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

Awards and Honors

Peng and Khanal Win LSU PPCP GSA Scholarships

Jingyu Peng and Churamani Khanal received the LSU Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology GSA scholarships. The scholarships defrayed the cost of their attendance to professional conferences. Jingyu Peng, a master’s degree student being advised by Dr. Jong Ham, associate professor, gave an oral presentation (Comparative transcriptomic analysis of Burkholderia glumae reveals the important role of tepRgene in regulating a multitude of cellular processes) at the 2015 American Phytopathological Society Annual Meetings, Pasadena, CA. Jingyu also presented a poster, written with fellow students Ally Lunos and Rebecca Sweany, about the GSA’s summer sharing program (LSU summer technical sharing sessions: Graduate students teaching graduate students). Churamani Khanal, a doctoral student being advised by Drs. Edward McGawley and Charles Overstreet, gave an oral presentation (Meloidogyne spp. reported from Arkansas: past and present) at the 54th Annual Meeting of the Society of Nematologists in East Lansing, Michigan.

Ferguson Wins Prestigious C. W. Edgerton Award

Mary Helen Ferguson, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology at Louisiana State University and the LSU AgCenter, recently won the prestigious C. W. Edgerton Award. She was nominated by her advisor, Dr. Christopher A. Clark, Professor. Ferguson won this award for her outstanding academic and professional achievements, especially her significant contributions toward an understanding of Xylella fastidiosa in rabbiteye blueberry, its impact on yield and fruit quality and recommendations about when and how to most reliably detect the bacterium.

Kirandeep Kaur Mani Graduates With Her Ph.D.

On May 14, Kiran Kaur Mani was awarded a doctoral degree in plant health with a research focus in plant pathology at LSU’s 2015 Spring Commencement. Dr. Kaur studied with Dr. Clayton Hollier,

professor of plant pathology. Her work characterized the factors affecting growth and development of narrow brown leaf spot of rice caused by Cercospora janseana. She accepted a diagnostic position with CSP Labs (California Seed and Plant Labs) in Pleasant Grove, California.

Kiran Mani

Jingyu Peng and Churamani Khanal

Mary Helen Ferguson and Dr. Christopher A. Clark

Sebastian Albu Graduates With His Ph.D.

On December 14, Sebastian Albu received his Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Pathology at LSU’s 2015 Winter Commencement. Dr. Albu was co-advised by Drs. Raymond Schneider, Professor, and Vinson Doyle, Assistant Professor, in the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology. His work focused on the Evolutionary relationships among fungal soybean pathogens and molecular marker development in the genus Cercospora. Sebastian is currently investigating alternatives to methyl bromide fumigation as a USDA-ARS postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Dan Kluepfel’s lab at UC Davis.

Sebastian Albu

8 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

Graduate Student Association Activities

PPCP Graduate Students Technical Sharing Sessions

For the second year in a row, the LSU Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology (PPCP) graduate students organized the Summer Technical Sharing Sessions. This year demonstrations/lectures were presented by 11 students. Topics ranged from

proteomics to using computer programs to measure colony diameters. Students enjoyed seeing and hearing about the ins and outs of specialized techniques that their colleagues used routinely.

The summer sharing sessions ran from June 9 to Aug. 17. Presenters and topics were:

• Nike Omolehin, Daniel Debona and Dr. Han, 2-D gel electrophoresis with IPG strips: an invaluable discovery in proteomics.

• Rebecca Sweany, large-scale production of Aspergillus flavus conidia for field inoculations.

• Ally Lunos, Assess 2.0 software can digitally measure fungal colony size.

• Mary Helen Ferguson, inoculating a xylem-limited pathogen into a woody plant.

• Jingyu Peng, phylogenetic study with Linux HPC: free, fast and powerful.

Nike Omolehin teaching Alejandra Jimenez how to rehydrate IPG stripes for proteomics while Jorge Reyes and Cesear Escalante observe.

Ally Lunos demonstrating Assess to measure colony size.

• Manjula Kularathna, sampling and extraction of plant parasitic nematodes.

• Eduardo Chagas, how to apply treatments to soybean leaves in vitro while not disrupting the water column in the leaves.

• Ton Khankhum and Cesar Escalante, modified method for viral dsRNA extraction.

• Marija Zivanovic, primer design for PCR and cloning.

Eduardo Chagas explaining the water column in plant vascular tissue.

9 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

Rebecca Sweany helping Alejandra Jimenez and other students suspend conidia.

PPCP 2015 Graduates

M.S. DegreesJingyu PengBrian Ward

Ph.D. DegreesSebastian Albu

Kirandeep Kaur Mani

2015 Student Guest Speaker for the Departmental Seminar Series

Graduate Student Association Activities

Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology graduate students were pleased to host Dr. Jan E. Leach as their invited seminar speaker, April 15, 2015. Dr. Leach is associate dean for research and university distinguised professor in the College of Agriculture, Colorado State University and an adjunct scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (Philippines). She is an authority on the molecular biology of plant pathogen interactions. Her research focuses on understanding the molecular basis of durable disease resistance, particularly in rice-pathogen interactions. She gave a seminar titled, “Understanding durable resistance in rice,” where she discussed using QTLs to identify important genes and promoters for durable resistance to plant pathogens. Dr. Leach also shared her personal and professional experiences, provided important pointers on how to market oneself plus find jobs and funding opportunities. Her main advice to the students was to be flexible and broad in their future visions and research topics.

10 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

Students Present Their Research at APS Southern Division Meeting in Atlanta

At the annual American Phytopathological Society (APS)-Southern Division meeting in Atlanta (Feb. 1-2), several students from LSU gave oral and poster presentations on their research. Eduardo Chagas gave an oral presentation discussing his observations of the association (or lack) of Cercospora soybean leaf blight symptoms with the toxin cercosporin. Maryam Shahrtash presented her findings using seed treatments on peppers and tomatoes to control several Xanthomonads. Rebecca Sweany discussed her findings of volatile interactions between separate cultures of Aspergillus flavus. Brian Ward presented the effect of minor

elements contributing to soybean resistance to rust and Cercospora leaf blight. Dongfang Hu presented a poster on her RNA-seq data looking into differential gene expression during infection with soybean rust. Other graduate students attending included Sebastian Albu, Mary Helen Ferguson, Teddy Garcia and Ally Lunos. Former Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology students also present at the meeting included the current president of Southern Division, Dr. Nicole Ward-Gauthier, recent graduates Dr. Rebecca Melanson and Jake Fountain, and not so recent graduate Dr. Baozhu Guo.

LSU contingent at APS Southern Division: Back row starting from the left: Jake Fountain, Ray Schneider, Sebastian Albu, Teddy Garcia, Brian Ward, Melanie Ivey, Rebecca Sweany, Dongfang Hu, Maryam Shahrtash, Clayton Hollier, Baozhu Guo. Front row starting from the left: Nicole Ward-Gauthier, Mary Helen Ferguson, Ally Lunos, Lawrence Datnoff, Eduardo Chagas and Rebecca Melanson.

11 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

PPCP Faculty ActivitiesJanuary - December 2015

Zhi-Yuan Chen

Invited Presentations:

Invited speaker at the 8th International Workshop on Contaminants Analysis and Risk Control of Agro-Food Quality and Safety at Oil Crop Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Wuhan, China (Nov 2-9, 2015). The title of the presentation was “An overview of aflatoxin: biosynthesis, metabolism, toxicity, impact and prevention.”

Awards and Honors:

Nominated as one of outstanding overseas Chinese maize research scientists and will be featured in the Journal of Maize Sciences (First issue, 2016).

Committees:

Member of editorial board for the Journal of Fungi (2014 - present).

Invited to serve on the technical advising committee for the CAAS-ICRISAT, Joint Lab for Groundnut Aflatoxin Management and Lab of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseeds, Ministry of Agriculture, P.R. China.

Grants and Contracts: Ivey, M. L and Chen, Z. -Y. 2015. Board of Regents grant for “Enhancing Plant Health and Food Safety Research and Teaching Capabilities in Louisiana”. $131,887 (07/2015-06/2016; Chen’s portion is $74,985). Chen, Z. -Y. 2015. The 2015 Louisiana Soybean and Grain Research and Promotion Board grant for “Cercospora Leaf Blight Disease of Soybean-Screening Soybean Varieties for Differences in the Expression of Resistance Genes”. $33,055 (04/2015 – 03/2016). Chen, Z. -Y. 2015. The 2015 Louisiana Soybean and Grain Research and Promotion Board grant for “Using Molecular Biology to Control Soybean Diseases: Cercospora Leaf Blight and Rust”. $55,928 (04/2015 – 03/2016). Chen, Z. –Y. and Blum, B. 2015. The AMCOE Aflatoxin Program grant for “Transgenic Control of Aflatoxin Contamination in Corn through Host Induced Gene Silencing”. $80,742 (06/2015 – 05/201.; Chen’s portion is $48,742).

Visiting Scientists/Students: Hosted Dr. Zhuqiang Han, peanut breeder, Cash Crop Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China.

Hosted Daniel Debona, a Ph.D. candidate from Universidade Federal de Vicosa, Brazil.

New Graduate Students:

Nike Omolehin, Nigeria, joined the lab in January 2015.

New Collaborations (University, Industry, other):

Initiated a new research collaboration with Dr. Peiwu Li, Oil Crop Research Institute, CAAS, P.R. China on biocontrol of aflatoxin contamination in peanut.

________________________________________________

Chris Clark

Invited Presentations:

“What do we know about the effects of viruses on sweet potato production?” – Sept. 16, 2015 at the National Clean Plant Network – Sweet potato: Sweet potato Virus Diagnosis Workshop, Greenbelt/Beltsville, Maryland.

Committees:

Chair of the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) – Sweetpotato, hosted the inaugural meeting of the NCPN’s Tier 2 governing body in August 2015, in Winnsboro, Louisiana. Also was responsible for helping to organize a virus workshop in Beltsville, Maryland, hosted by Jorge Abad.

APS Press editorial board – senior editor

Grants and Contracts:

$96,000 from USDA, APHIS for NCPN-SP activities.

New Collaborations (University, Industry, other):

The National Clean Plant Network – Sweetpotato involves collaboration with colleagues at U.C. Davis, North Carolina State University, Mississippi State University, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, University of Hawaii and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Marc A. Cohn

Awards and Honors:

Crop Science of America – Seed Science & Technology Division (C-4) chair and annual meeting symposium organizer

Tiger Athletic Foundation President’s Award, 2015

Committees:

AgCenter Promotion & Tenure Chair, Dept. Courses & Curriculum

12 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

Financial Oversight & Investments Chair, Southern Society of Plant Biologists

CSSA Seed Science Awards

Visiting Scientists/Students:

Dr. You-Hau Wang, Nanjing Agricultural University, January – June 2015

Meeting attendance:

Southern Society of Plant Biologists, Dauphin Island, ALCrop Science Society of America, Minneapolis, MN

Other news:

Dr. Cohn has tentatively announced his retirement in July, 2016.

________________________________________________

Lawrence E. Datnoff

Invited Presentations:

Communications in Plant Pathology, Academic Unit Leaders Forum, American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting, Pasadena, California, Aug. 04 2015.

Sustainability of Brazilian and LSU’s Scientific Partnerships. FAUBAI Conference, Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, Brazil, April 24 – May 02.

Committees:

USAID-IPM Innovation Lab - Technical AdvisoryAmerican Phytopathological Society - Financial Advisory

________________________________________________ Vinson Doyle

Committees:

Vice President’s Ag Development Graduate Assistantship Program Committee

Grants and Contracts:

NSF/EPSCOR Board of Regents Supervised Undergraduate Research Experience - Caroline Baer

LSU College of Agriculture Undergraduate Research Grant - Haley Hutchins

Visiting Scientists/Students:

Willie Anderson Vieira, Ph.D. student, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil

Josiene Silva Veloso, Ph.D. student, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil

New Collaborations (University, Industry, other):

Dr. Marcos Paz Saraiva Camara, mycologist, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil

Dr. Olinto L. Pereira, mycologist, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Brazil

________________________________________________

Jong Hyun Ham

Invited Presentations:

The Citrus Research and Education Center (11/30/2015) (Title: Signaling and regulatory components of the rice pathogenic bacterium, Burkholderia glumae)

Dept. Plant Pathology, University of Florida (12/01/2015) (Title: The intercellular communication and global regulatory systems of the rice pathogenic bacterium, Burkholderia glumae, involved in pathogenesis, competition, and survival) Rice Tec Inc. Alvin, Texas (07/16/2015) (Title: Genetic and genomic studies of major rice diseases in the southern United States)

2015 Annual Meeting of American Phytopathological Society, Pasadena, California (08/04/2015) (Title: Identification of genomic variants of rice associated with disease resistance to sheath blight and bacterial panicle blight through NGS sequencing)

2015 3rd LA Conference on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (04/18/2015) (Title: The intercellular signaling systems for the virulence of the rice pathogenic bacterium, Burkholderia glumae)

Awards and Honors:

President, Bacteriology Committee of the American Phytopathological Society (2014 – 2015) (elected)Associate Editor for the journal Phytopathology (02/2015 – 01/2018)Louisiana State University Tiger Athlete Foundation Teaching Award (2015)Tipton Team Award (2015)

Committees:

• Member, APHIS Widely Prevalent Bacteria Committee (2015 - ) (invited)

• Member, Ad Hoc Committee for the Future Make-Up of the PPCP Department

• Chair, PPCP Department Safety Committee• Member, Promotion and Tenure Committee (elected)• Member, Courses and Curricula Committee

PPCP Faculty ActivitiesJanuary - December 2015

13 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

• Co-chair, Graduate Student Recruiting Committee (Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology)

Grants and Contracts:

Louisiana Rice Research Board Grant: Development of Seed Treatment Methods to Enhance Rice Health (PI: Jong Hyun Ham) Funded: $29,625 (1/ 2016 – 12/2016)

Louisiana Rice Research Board Grant: Characterization and Utilization of Genetic Traits for Resistance to Multiple Diseases of Rice (PI: Jong Hyun Ham. Co-PI: Donald Groth) Funded: $47,580 (1/ 2016 – 12/2016)

Louisiana Rice Research Board Grant: Characterization and Utilization of Genetic Traits for Resistance to Multiple Diseases of Rice (PI: Jong Hyun Ham. Co-PI: Donald Groth) Funded: $47,000 (1/ 2015 – 12/2015)

Louisiana Board of Regent/NSF Pilot Funding for New Initiatives (Pfund) Program. Characterization of rice defense system for disease resistance to bacterial panicle blight (PI: Jong Hyun Ham) Funded: $10,000 (10/01/2014 – 09/30/2015) LEQSF-EPS(2015)-PFUND-405-AA

Testing the efficacy of product on sheath blight control (Agri-Neo Inc.) (04/2015 – 12/2015): $13,200

Visiting Scientists/Students:

Nootjarin Jungkhun (Chiangrai Rice Research Center, Rice Department, Chiangrai, Thailand) (Visiting period: 10/2014 – 09/2015)

Chaithath Boonjan (Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand) (9/2015 – 11/2015)

Elder Villanueva (Universidad Nacional de Agricultura, Olancho, Honduras) (10/2015 – 12/2016)

New Collaborations (University, Industry, other):

Rice genetics and disease management study: Dr. Donald Groth (Rice Research Station, LSU AgCenter)

Rice breeding for disease resistance: Dr. Steve Linscombe and Dr. James Oard (Rice Research Station, LSU AgCenter)

Rice genomics: Dr. Maheshi Dassanayake and Dr. Dong-Ha Oh (Dept. Biological Sciences, LSU)

Soil microbial community study: Dr. Changyoon Jeong (Red River Research Station, LSU AgCenter)

________________________________________________

Clayton A. Hollier

Invited Presentations:

International Plant Protection Congress, Berlin:

The multiple dimensions of food security and their challenges: How important are plant diseases as major causes of food insecurity?

Annual Yield Losses Associated with Southern Rust of Maize and their Use for Disease Management Decisions

Committees:

Department: Awards and PublicityGraduate Admissions/Standards

APS: Crop Loss Assessment and Risk EvaluationExtensionEpidemiologyIntegrated Disease Management

ISPP: Task Force on Food Security

Grants and Contracts:

Industry: Valent: Fungicide evaluation on soybeansBASF:Fungicide evaluation on soybeans and grain sorghumDuPont: Fungicide evaluation on soybeansSipcam Agro USA: Fungicide evaluation on soybeans

USB: Frogeye Leaf Spot Fungicide EvaluationSoybean Disease Sentinel Plot Scouting Program

USDA-NIFA: Integrated Pest Management Education for Louisiana’s Urban and Rural Agricultural Future

Commodity Boards: Soybean Disease (Including rust) Sentinel Plot Scouting ProgramMeasuring Yield Losses Due to Diseases of Soybeans

New Collaborations (University, Industry, other):

University of Pretoria, South Africa (Lise Korsten)INRA, France (Laetitia Willocquet and Serge Savary)National Institute of Education, Singapore (Paul P.S. Teng)

PPCP Faculty ActivitiesJanuary - December 2015

14 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

PPCP Faculty ActivitiesJanuary – December 2015

Jeff Hoy

Invited Presentations:

American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists Louisiana Division Annual Meeting, Billet planting: Where have we been and where are we going?

Committees:

Faculty Replacement, Chair; Social, Chair; Safety; Recruiting

Grants and Contracts:

American Sugar Cane League $30,000Certis $17,000Helena Chemical Co. $17,000

New Graduate Students:

Carolina Avellaneda Ph.D.Adam Bigott, M.S.

New Collaborations (University, Industry, other):

Pathology Program Review, Centro de Investigation de la Cana Azucar, Ecuador

Expert Panel Chair, Review of research to determine the cause of yellow canopy syndrome, Sugar Research Australia, Cairns, Australia

Melanie Lewis Ivey

Invited Presentations

Bacterial Leaf Spot: A Persistent but Manageable Disease of Pepper, South Eastern Vegetable and Fruit Expo Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Challenges of Small Scale Tomato Production in Louisiana, 30th Annual Tomato Disease Workshop, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Deadly Soilborne Diseases in Louisiana Landscapes and Orchards. 2015 IR-4 Southern Regional Meeting. Miami, Florida.

Committees:

• APS Journal Plant Disease. Disease Note assigning editor, 2015-2018.

• Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Graduate Student Association, Faculty Advisor, 2014-2017.

• Newsletter and Website Committee, member, Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, LSU AgCenter, 2013-2015.

• Southern University Horticulture Advisory Committee, member, 2015-present.

Grants and Contracts:

Lewis Ivey, M.L. and Vallad, G. Limiting losses to tomato bacterial spot through knowledge of global pathogen diversity, improved seed health, and molecular breeding. Speciality Crop Research Initiative Grant Program, $95,344.

Lewis Ivey, M.L. Grafting Tomato to Manage Bacterial Wilt Caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. LDAF Specialty Crop Block Grant; 2015-2017, $49,000.

Lewis Ivey, M.L. and Chen, Z. Enhancing Plant Health and Food Safety Research and Teaching Capabilities in Louisiana; Louisiana Board of Regents Enhancement Program; 2015-2016, $131,887

Lewis Ivey, M.L. and Datnoff, L. Effect of Silicon on Bell Pepper Health and Bacterial Leaf Spot Disease Management; PQ Corporation, 2015-2016, $12,000

Lewis Ivey, M.L. Fungicides and Bactericides for Bacterial Leaf Spot Management in Bell Pepper and Tomato. IR-4 Program; 2015, $9,000.

New Graduate Students:

Isaack Kickway, M.S.Alejandra Jimenez Madrid, M.S.

________________________________________________

Freddy Graces and Dr. Jeff Hoy

15 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

PPCP Faculty ActivitiesJanuary – December 2015

New Collaborations:

Gary Vallad, University of Florida. Limiting losses to tomato bacterial spot through knowledge of global pathogen diversity, improved seed health, and molecular breeding.________________________________________________

Edward McGawley

Invited Presentations:

University of Florida Nematology Department , March 15-18 (spring seminar guest speaker).

Valencia, Spain, May 3-9, SipcamAdvan, Research Update. Havana, Cuba, Organization of Nematologists of Tropical America, May 14-19. Symposium Chairman and speaker.

Berlin, Germany, Aug. 24-27, International Plant Protection Congress, oral presentation.

Committees:

Society of Nematologists, Membership Committee, Chairman; Education Committee, member.

Grants and Contracts:

Monsanto, $25,000.

New Graduate Students:

Churamani Khanal, Ph.D. co-advisor with Dr. Charles OverstreetBenjamin McInnes, M.S.

________________________________________________

Charles Overstreet

Invited Presentations:

Variability within a commerce silt loam soil on reniform nematode and nematicide treatment. Presented at the 2015 Beltwide Cotton Conference, Jan. 5-7, San Antonio, Texas.

Cotton nematodes- What’s changing and what should you do. Presented at the 18th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference Proceedings; Jan. 14-16, 2015, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Variability within a silt loam soil on the response of a fumigant to Rotylenchulus reniformis. Presented at the 2015 Organization of Nematologists of Tropical America, May, 18-22, Varadero, Cuba.

The development and implementation of site-specific technology for managing cotton nematodes in the United States. Presented at the 2015 Organization of

Nematologists of Tropical America, May, 18-22, Varadero, Cuba.

Committees:

• Society of Nematology - Awards Committee• Organization of Nematologists of Tropical America-

ONTA Foundation Chairperson and President of Board of Directors

• LSU AgCenter Faculty Council- Service Unit Advisory Committee

• Department of Plant Pathology and Crop PhysiologySeminar Spring 2015Awards and PublicitySpace

Visiting Scientists/Students:

• Dr. Jason Woodward, Texas A&M, visited the department in January and presented a seminar on cotton diseases in Texas.

• Dr. Sally Stetina, USDA-ARS, Stoneville, Mississippi, visited the department in February and presented a seminar on plant resistance to reniform nematode in cotton and soybean.

• Dr. John Rupe, University of Arkansas visited the department in February and presented a seminar on Pythium diseases in Arkansas.

• Dr. Bob Kemerait, University of Georgia visited the department in April and gave a seminar on the relevancy of Extension and disease management.

• Dr. Robert Brown, USDA-ARS, New Orleans, Louisiana, visited the department in April and presented a seminar on aflatoxin in corn.

• Felipe Godoy, visiting intern, Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, joined my laboratory in Spring 2015.

• Vinicius de Souza Rios,visiting intern, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, joined my laboratory in Fall 2015.

New Graduate Students:

• Churamani Khanal, Ph.D. and co-advised with Dr. Edward McGawley

• Felipe Godoy, M.S.

________________________________________________

Raymond Schneider

Presentations:

Prevalence of fungicide resistance in Louisiana soybean and rice. American Phytopathological Society, Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Aug. 3.

Cercospora leaf blight of soybean: Phylogenetic analysis of the pathogen and disease management with micronutrients. 2015 Brazilian Soybean Congress, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. June 23.

16 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

PPCP Faculty ActivitiesJanuary – December 2015

Cercosporin concentration and fungal biomass suggest two modes of pathogenesis for Cercospora kikuchii in soybean. American Phytopathological Society, Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Aug. 4.

Fungal colonization and cercosporin and flavonoid concentrations for two different symptoms of Cercospora leaf blight in soybean. American Phytopathological Society, Southern Division, Atlanta, Georgia. Feb. 1.

Foliar applications of minor elements suppress Cercospora leaf blight and rust in soybeans. American Phytopathological Society, Southern Division, Atlanta, Georgia. Feb. 2.

Cercospora leaf blight: Symptomatology and mechanisms of pathogenicity. United Soybean Board Foliar Disease Group, Alexandria, Louisiana. Oct. 5.

Awards and Honors:

• Doyle Chambers Award • Outstanding Plant Pathologist Award, APS-Southern

Division

Committees:

• Graduate Admissions, Chair• Courses and Curriculum Committee• Department Graduate Advisor

Grants and Contracts:

• United Soybean Board, $30,000• Louisiana Soybean and Grain Research and Promotion

Board, $79,000• Brandt Consolidated, $50,000.

________________________________________________

Raj Singh

Invited Presentations:

Ornamental and Turfgrass Disease Identification and Management. Louisiana Pest Management Association Meetings: Kenner, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and Bossier City, Louisiana.

Plant Pathology and Plant Health Diagnostics, Louisiana Master Gardener Training Sessions: Farmerville, Hammond, Covington, Baton Rouge, Port Allen, Gonzales, Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Orleans, West Monroe, Livingston, DeRidder, Franklinton, and Houma, Louisiana.

Rose rosette disease, boxwood blight, boxwood dieback and Crape Myrtle bacterial leaf spot update. Landscape Field Day, Hammond, Louisiana.

Ornamental and Turfgrass Disease Identification and Management. Louisiana Pest Management Association Meeting, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Preventing vegetable diseases and managing overwintering plant pathogens, New Iberia, Louisiana.

First Detector Training Southwest Region, Advanced Master Gardener Meetings: West Monroe, Bossier City, Baton Rouge, and Crowley, Louisiana.

Plant Diagnostic Center provides diagnostic services, Metro City Horticulture Council Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Bitter rot of apple and brown rot of peach. LFVGA meeting, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Disease identification and their management in commercial and home gardens. Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Tomato diseases and their management. Tomato Field Day, Paulina, Louisiana.

Vegetable disease recognition and their management. St. Tammany Vegucators Meeting, Covington, Louisiana.

Fruit and Nut diseases and their management. Fruit and Nut Production – Hort 4085, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Simple steps to prevent and avoid plant diseases in home lawn and gardens. Central Louisiana Garden Expo, Alexandria, Louisiana.

Recognizing and Managing Diseases in the Home Pecan Trees. Home Fruit and Pecan Growing, Southwest Louisiana Garden Conference and Expo, Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Recognizing and Managing Diseases in the Home Vegetable Garden. Home Vegetable Production Southwest Louisiana Garden Conference and Expo, Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Plant Disease Diagnosis and Identification. Installation & Maintenance of Ornamentals in the Landscape II- Hort 2022, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Integrated Disease Management in Home Garden and Lawns. Northshore Spring Garden Show, Covington, Louisiana.

Landscape Diseases and their Management. Baton Rouge Landscape Association, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

New Invasive Species Threatening Louisiana Forests. Livingston Parish Forestry Landowner Association Meeting, Port Vincent, Louisiana.

Citrus Diseases and Their Management, Belle Chasse, Louisiana.

Turfgrass Diseases and Disorders, Landscape Pest Management Workshop, Hammond, Louisiana.

Boxwood Dieback, Landscape Pest Management Workshop, Hammond, Louisiana.

17 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

PPCP Faculty ActivitiesJanuary – December 2015

Disease management in Watermelons, Watermelon Grower Association Meeting, Franklinton, Louisiana.

Common home garden and lawn diseases and their management, Gardennets Club of Ponchatoula, Ponchatoula, Louisiana.

Plant diseases new to Louisiana, East Baton Rouge Master Gardener Association Meeting, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Awards and Honors:

2015 National Agricultural County Agent Association Achievement Award. Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

2015 Louisiana County Agriculture Agent Association Achievement Award. Monroe, Louisiana.

Committees:

• Plant Health Progress Journal, senior editor.• American Phytopathological Society Disease and

Pathogen Detection Committee, Chair• Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Course and

Curricula Committee • Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Graduate Student

Admissions Committee • Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Award and

Publicity Committee • Citrus Clean Plant Network Tier II Governing Body• Louisiana Department of Agricultural and Forestry

Emerald Ash Borer Working Group Committee• LSU AgCenter Horticulture Council Committee• Graduate Student Committee (Carla Parano)

Grants and Contracts:

Survey of the distribution of Texas phoenix palm decline in Louisiana. USDA Farm Bill Grant: $98,670.

Citrus Clean Plant Network Grant: $25,300.

Southern Plant Diagnostic Network Grant: $25,000.

Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Citrus Insect and Diseases: $25,000.

McIlhenny Tabasco Improvement Project: $14,000 ($134,000 for five years).

Sudden Death Oak Survey: $5,000.

Visiting Scientists/Students:

Edwin Zuniga, National University of Honduras.

New Collaborations (University, Industry, other):

McIlhenny Company to improve their tabasco pepper production at Avery Island, Louisiana.______________________________________________

Rodrigo Valverde

Invited Presentations:

Seminars:

Dept. of Biology, Tulsa University, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Nebraska Center for Virology, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Invited presentation at the 5th International Conference of the International Working Group on Vegetable and Legume Viruses, Haarlem, The Netherlands

Committees:

Chair, APS/APHIS Widely Prevalent Virus Committee

Member, Inter-institutional Biological and Recombinant DNA Safety Committee

Grants and Contracts:

Louisiana Soybean and Grain Research and Promotion BoardGreen stem disease of soybean, $17,000

Visiting Scientists/Students:

Dr. Eliezer Rodrigues de Souto, Universidade Estadual de Maringa, Parana, Brazil, continued his sabbatical conducting plant virus research

New Graduate Students:

Cesar Escalante, M.S. and a recent graduate from the Universidad Nacional de Agricultura, Honduras

Rachel Herschlag, Ph.D., recent graduate from Tulane University, New Orleans

New Collaborations (University, Industry, other):

Began collaborative research with Dr. Hernan Garcia, Assistant professor, molecular virology at the Nebraska Center for Virology, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Other

NSF: Member of review panel, Symbiosis, Defense and Self-Recognition Program

BARD (US-Israel Binational Agricultural and Development Fund): Member of review panel, Crop Health and Invasive Species

During the summer and fall semesters, an Episcopal High School, Baton Rouge, senior student, Adair McCanless worked on a high school science project in the laboratory.

18 Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology NEWS 2016

Visit our websites: www.lsu.edu/ppcp

www.LSUAgCenter.com

William B. Richardson, LSU Vice President for AgricultureLouisiana State University Agricultural Center

Louisiana Agricultural Experiment StationLouisiana Cooperative Extension Service

LSU College of Agriculture

The LSU AgCenter and LSU provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

PPCP NEWSDepartment of Plant Pathology and Crop PhysiologyResearch . Extension . Teaching

Annual Spring Departmental Crawfish Boil      Coming soon in April/May 2016               

Stay tuned!!!!