Organizer: Kira Bowen, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, U.S.A.Section: Disease Control and Pest ManagementSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Crop Loss Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE); APS FoundationSelected graduate students will present their work on minimizing plant disease risk. Minimization of this risk might be accomplished through new resistance strategies in plants; knowledge gained through disease forecasting and spatial modeling; or implementation of innovative management programs, new chemistries, or biological control agents. Presenters for this session are selected on the basis of the originality and significance of their approach to reducing plant disease risk.
Organizers: Maya Hayslett, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, U.S.A.; Anissa Poleatewich, Vineland Research & Innovation Center, Vineland Station, ON, CanadaSection: Professionalism/OutreachSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Office of Education; TeachingTechnological advances now allow instructors to connect with students at other campuses and universities. With online and distance education courses, instructors are reaching more students, or students who might not otherwise get the chance, with fewer resources. Speakers for this session are instructors who currently teach these kinds of courses. They will discuss the advantages and the challenges of teaching these courses, as well as the kinds of resources that are necessary to start one.
Organizer: Amanda Gevens, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, U.S.A.Section: Professionalism/OutreachSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Extension; Early Career Professionals; Plant Pathogen and Disease DetectionThis session will focus on effective metrics for documenting impact in plant pathology programs. Leading researchers and specialists will demonstrate methods and metrics for effectively evaluating the impact of research and extension programs. Documenting impact is highly valued for justifying grant funding and annual reporting to university administration and beyond. Logistics and case studies will be offered in this session designed for all plant pathologists (extension and research).
Organizers: Ramon Jaime, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.; Themis Michailides, University of California-Davis, Parlier, CA, U.S.A. Section: Diseases of PlantsSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Mycotoxicology; Seed Pathology New discoveries have demonstrated the production of mycotoxins by fungi not previously known to produce mycotoxins. Additionally, weather-related events have induced contamination in wide production areas. Registrations of atoxigenic biocontrols have created challenges concerning application practices. The scope of this session is to provide information to the public on the risks of mycotoxin contamination in commodities not previously known and on the effects of weather on mycotoxin outbreaks.
Organizers: Yulin Jia, USDA-ARS, Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, Stuttgart, Arkansas, U.S.A.; Guo-Liang Wang, Department of Plant Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, U.S.A.Sponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Working group of the Chinese Society of Plant Pathology (CSPP) and The American Phytopathological Society (APS)Section: Molecular/Cellular/Plant-Microbe InteractionsOver the past two decades, significant breakthroughs in host-pathogen interactions have provided a solid foundation for disease management. The recent rapid evolution of DNA sequencing technology, gene expression profiling, and bioinformatics has presented unique, exciting, and unprecedented opportunities for international corporations. Presently, diverse powerful molecular and genetic tools have been developed to manage crop diseases worldwide. The present and future challenges for crop protection lie in unpredictable climate changes, pathogen population variability, fungicide resistance, and host genotype shifting. However, rapid accumulation of scientific knowledge on molecular and genetic bases of host-pathogen interactions will allow the development of the most economical strategies for the management of crop pathogens worldwide. Current advances in host-pathogen interactions and their immediate applications to crop protection will be presented by selected speakers, three from APS and three from CSPP.
Organizers: Valerie Verdier, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France; Lindsay Triplett, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A.Section: Biology of PathogensGlobally important xanthomonads cause diseases on diverse crops, including banana, cassava, and rice. Xanthomonads have evolved different tissue specificities, with some invading the vascular tissues, some restricted to the intercellular spaces, and others colonizing the plant surface. This session, which is co-organized by members of the French and American phytopathology societies, will cover genome plasticity and biological changes that allow adaption to new environments and hosts.
Organizers: Jing Zhou, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, U.S.A.; Judith Brown, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.Section: Ecology and EpidemiologySponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Virology; Vector-Pathogen ComplexesFinancial Sponsors: Eurofins STA Laboratories; Agdia, Inc.; Monsanto CompanyPlant viruses continuously emerge and encroach on new areas, but there are knowledge gaps in the current understanding of the factors driving expanding virus distribution. This session is a timely examination of the drivers of virus distribution, including changes in weather patterns and cropping systems and changes in domestic and international movement of plant materials, as well as the impact of virus genetic evolutionary on its expanding distribution.
Organizer: David Hibbett, Clark University, Worcester, MA, U.S.A.Section: Ecology and EpidemiologySponsoring Committee/Sponsor: MycologyWood decay has profound biogeochemical consequences, impacts timber-based industries, and has potential applications in biofuels. Wood decayers have been divided into two categories: white rot and brown rot, but genomics has revealed diversity within each class, and ecologists have long shown substrate and habitat preferences of particular species. This session highlights the diversity of wood decay systems from the perspectives of genomics, biochemistry, evolutionary biology, and ecology.
Organizer: Nicole Hynson, University of Hawaii-Manoa, Honolulu, HI, U.S.A.Section: Ecology and EpidemiologyFinancial Sponsors: New Phytologist Trust; Fungal Ecology/Elsevier Publishing; MSA Ecology CommitteeThis session will bring together leading international researchers from the field of ecology whose research foci include topics in fungal ecology at the community, landscape, ecosystem, or global scales. Since there is often a disconnect between researchers working at different biological or geographical scales, this session will provide a venue with which to bridge this gap, giving researchers from a diversity of backgrounds and expertise a chance to present and to interact with new potential colleagues.
Organizers: Jacqueline Fletcher, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, U.S.A.; James Stack, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, U.S.A.; Russ Bulluck, USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST, Raleigh, NC, U.S.A.; Forrest Nutter, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, U.S.A.; Carla Thomas, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, U.S.A.; William Schneider, USDA-ARS, Fort Detrick, MD, U.S.A.Section: Diseases of PlantsSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Microbial Forensics Interest Group; Emerging Diseases and Pathogens; Crop Loss Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE); EpidemiologyRecent technical innovations for forensic plant pathology include enhanced strategies for pathogen detection, strain discrimination, sampling, epidemiology, and bioinformatics. Speakers from both the plant pathology and human forensics communities will address use of platforms for next-generation sequencing and metagenomics, sensor and sampling issues, new bioinformatics tools, and novel strategies such as machine learning.
Organizers: Gary Munkvold and Gregory Tylka, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, U.S.A.Section: Disease Control and Pest ManagementSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Seed Pathology; NematologyFinancial Sponsors: BASF US Crop Protection; Syngenta SeedsCare; Valent U.S.A. Corporation; Seed Science Center-Iowa State UniversityIn recent years, the use of seed treatments has expanded dramatically in scope and depth. These changes provide new opportunities and challenges. Scientists from throughout the world will discuss the latest, most innovative aspects of seed treatments for maintaining and increasing plant protection and crop health. Topics include the implementation of multiple active ingredients in seed treatment combinations; microbial treatments; physiological effects on plants; and more!
Organizers: Jeri Barak and Jose Pablo Soto-Arias, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, U.S.A.Section: Biology of PathogensSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Vector-Pathogen Complexes; BacteriologyRelationships between insect vectors and those bacterial pathogens transmitted by them are often not well understood or appreciated, which has lead to devastating epidemics of incurable diseases and the lack of effective control strategies. This session would focus on the biology, epidemiology, and management of insect-transmitted bacterial diseases that cause significant agricultural losses, including foodborne diseases.
Organizers: Maeli Melotto, University of Texas-Arlington, Arlington, TX, U.S.A.; Jacqueline Fletcher, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, U.S.A.Section: Molecular/Cellular/Plant-Microbe InteractionsSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: APS Food Safety Interest Group; Public Policy BoardContamination of foods with human pathogens is a major issue to society, with increasing numbers of outbreaks in the last several years. Recent studies reveal that plants are not passive to contamination by human pathogens. This session is designed to highlight current knowledge of plant responses toward infection; the biology and ecology of human pathogens on the phyllosphere; and the crucial role that phytopathologists can play in the prevention of human disease outbreaks.
Organizers: Klara Scharnagl, Florida International University, Miami, FL, U.S.A.; Robin Choudhury and Cassandra Swett, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A.Section: Molecular/Cellular/Plant-Microbe InteractionsSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: MSA; Mycology; Phyllosphere Microbiology; Postharvest Pathology; Turfgrass Pathology; Seed PathologyThere has long been difficulty in clearly defining and discussing symptomless infection states of plant-associated microbes. Many of these microbes have a wide variation in the types of host associations they form despite a similarity in mechanism of interaction between microbe and host. This interdisciplinary session focuses on fungi and bacteria with varied symptomless plant associations and the scenarios that can lead to shifts (if any) between mutualism/commensalism and pathogenesis.
Organizers: Richard Lee, USDA ARS NCGRCD, Riverside, CA, U.S.A.; Carlos Angel, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, U.S.A. Section: Diseases of PlantsSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Tropical Plant Pathology; Diseases of Ornamental Plants; Vector-Pathogen Complexes Palms used for ornamental and food production in the United States are under increasing threats to invasive pathogens and pests. The purpose of this session is to educate and inform commodity stakeholders, regulatory personnel, nurseries, and interested scientists of the nature of the threats.
Organizers: Rosa Mouriño-Pérez and Rufina Hernández-Martínez, CICESE, Ensenada, Mexico Section: Molecular/Cellular/Plant-Microbe InteractionsThe session will cover a broad scope of the main topics in fungal cell biology, such as secretion, endocytosis, septation, polarity, sexual development, and also the cell biology of plant pathogens, to get an excellent update of the cutting-edge information in this field. We invited renowned researchers who specialize in each of the subjects of the session.
Organizer: Rubella S. Goswami, DuPont Crop Protection, Newark, DE, U.S.A.Section: Disease Control and Pest ManagementSponsoring Committee/Sponsor: IndustryThis session provides a forum for highlighting new products and technologies available to those in the fields of agriculture and plant disease management.
Organizers: Carrie Harmon, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, U.S.A.; Carol Stiles, Georgia Military College, Valdosta, GA, U.S.A. Section: Biology of PathogensSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Mycology; Diagnostics; Widely Prevalent Plant-Pathogenic Fungi List Working Group; International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi Financial Sponsor: Widely Prevalent Plant-Pathogenic Fungi List Working GroupUntil recently, two systems of nomenclature existed for many fungi: one name for the sexual state and one for the asexual state. The coexistence of these two naming systems is now abolished in the International Code of Nomenclature (ICN), and a given fungus will receive a single name. This session will cover nomenclature within the revised ICN as well as provide updates for the process of registering names in some of the major groups of fungal plant pathogens. Join us for a lively discussion!
Organizer: David Schmale, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, U.S.A.Section: Professionalism/OutreachSponsoring Committee/Sponsor: Divisional ForumThis session is designed to showcase the top graduate students (M.S. or Ph.D.) from each of the six APS division meetings. The chosen speakers will give a presentation of their research that won them top honors at their respective division meeting. Speakers are allowed 15 minutes for their presentations, and this includes time for questions. This session will highlight some of the top students in the field of plant pathology and broaden the engagement and visibility of APS divisions.
Organizer: Christine Hawkes, University of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX, U.S.A.Section: Ecology and EpidemiologySponsoring Committee/Sponsor: MSASymbiotic fungi are a key component of terrestrial ecosystems, important for both plant communities and ecosystem functioning. Yet symbiont responses to climate change remain poorly understood. In this session, we address the ecological and evolutionary responses of fungal symbionts to changing climatic conditions, as well as their consequences for plant communities and ecosystem processes.
Organizers: Christopher Wallis, USDA-ARS, Parlier, CA, U.S.A.; Teresa Hughes, USDA-ARS, West Lafayette, IN, U.S.A.Section: Diseases of PlantsSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Early Career Professionals, MycologySchroth Faces of the Future is an annually occurring endowed session recognizing early career professionals (those within 10 years of receiving their Ph.D. degree) who are making an impact in plant pathology research. Each year, Schroth covers a different discipline of plant pathology, with 2013 to cover Faces of the Future in mycology.
Organizers: James Bradeen, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.; Leonardo De La Fuente, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, U.S.A. Section: Molecular/Cellular/Plant-Microbe InteractionsSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Bacteriology; Molecular and Cellular Phytopathology; Widely Prevalent Bacteria Working GroupEmerging scientific consensus suggests that small noncoding RNAs play key roles in gene regulation in plant–microbe interactions. Both partners use small RNAs to manipulate the other, with pathogens modulating plant resistance response pathways and plants modulating expression of both their own genes and those of potential pathogens. The session will focus on the role of small RNAs in regulating innate immunity and the implications for plant disease management and crop improvement.
Organizers: Z. Gloria Abad, USDA-APHIS-CPHST, Beltsville, MD, U.S.A.; Patricia De Sa Snow, USDA-APHIS-BRS, Riverdale, MD, U.S.A.Section: Diseases of PlantsSponsoring Committees/Sponsors: Regulatory Plant Pathology; Emerging Diseases and Pathogens; DiagnosticsGraminicolous downy mildews affect important crops such as maize, millet, sorghum, and sugarcane where the pathogens are mostly understudied. Some Peronosclerospora and Sclerophthora species cause destructive diseases and are of biosecurity concern. This session will review aspects of the taxonomy (including new species and the genus Eraphthora published during 2011–2012), the regulatory status, and the challenges in developing robust systems for identification and diagnostics.
Organizers: Richard Nelson, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc., Ardmore, OK, U.S.A.; James Schoelz, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, U.S.A.Section: Molecular/Cellular/Plant-Microbe InteractionsSponsoring Committee/Sponsor: VirologyDisease is a culmination of virus accumulation and intracellular movement to allow systemic infection. A plethora of host proteins that influence virus accumulation and movement have been identified, and reduced systemic virus accumulation has been observed after silencing some of these genes. These host genes should be considered a new generation of resistance targets. The function of these host proteins, along with the potential of applying this research for practical benefit, will be discussed.