The Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology's weekly Plant Pathology 250 seminar series is presented this week by:

Srdjan Acimovic, Assistant Professor, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech 

Seminar Title: "Molecular and Applied Aspects of Biology, Host Interactions and Management of Key Apple Pathogens: Erwinia amylovora, Colletotrichum Species and Diplocarpon coronariae"

Biography: Fire blight bacterium Erwinia amylovora is one the most devastating endemic pathogens of apples and pears leading to losses and management costs of over $100 million each year. However, until now no research has addressed the biology, ecology, population dynamics, management and plant immunity aspects of fire blight cankers as reservoirs of infection and the key stage in life cycle for pathogen survival over the winter. Apple bitter rot is both in-orchard and postharvest fruit disease with a wide range of presence spanning across East coast and Midwest states of the USA, as far north as Ontario and Nova Scotia provinces in Canada. It causes orchard losses from 2 to 100% and storage losses from 2 to 14% depending on year-specific weather conditions and the applied fungicide protection programs. We will present results of an 8 year journey where we focused on identifying, characterizing and developing management options for Colletotrichum species infecting apples. Finally, we will present insights on detection, characterisation and management of an emerging apple blotch fungus Diplocarpon coronariae, which became prevalent on leaves and fruit in East coast apple orchards during wet summers over the last 7 years.

Faculty Hosts: Dr. Fatemeh Khodadadi; fatemeh.khodadadi@ucr.edu