The Plant Pathology Department at NDSU has research projects on the important diseases of major crops. Research projects cover root rots, head blights, foliar diseases, stem rust, leaf rust and viruses of cereals as well as diseases of canola, dry edible beans, flax, potatoes, soybeans, sugar beets, sunflowers, urban forestry and shelter belts.

The faculty has expertise in host-parasite genetics, microbiological ecology, epidemiology, tissue culture, molecular biology, genetic resistance, nematology, bacteriology, mycology, virology and electron microscopy. The Plant Pathology Department faculty has been successful in developing management practices and controls for major diseases.

NDSU plant pathologists are constantly improving control programs to meet market demands, address environmental concerns and apply new technologies. With plant breeders, pathologists find disease resistant genetic materials from domesticated and wild varieties worldwide. New biotechnology techniques help them to quickly incorporate genetic resistance into crop varieties.

Plant pathologists seek safer and more effective pesticides, including biological controls, to protect crops until adequate genetic resistance is available. Plant pathologists also examine cultural techniques that reduce disease threats.

Research Expertise

Research Areas and Contacts

Barley diseases: Thomas Baldwin
Wheat foliar diseases: Zhaohui Liu
Wheat head and root diseases:
Rust diseases: Upinder Gill
Extension: Andrew Friskop

Research Areas

  • Developing screen techniques for identification of germplasm resistant to multiple fungal diseases
  • Developing integrated pest management steps for control of fungal and bacterial diseases
  • Evaluating chemical and biological control alternatives to manage white mold
  • Developing a disease forecasting system for white mold
  • Studying host pathogen interaction and developing pathogen diagnostic tools

Contacts

Dry bean and pulse crops: Malaika Ebert
Rust Diseases: Upinder Gill
Extension: Sam Markell

Research Areas

  • Using tissue culture techniques to select for disease resistance and to rapidly improve potato varieties
  • Development of DNA based diagnostics to improve the detection of potato pathogens in seed.
  • Studies on the biology and management of tuber rots affecting potatoes in storage.
  • Studying resistance to fungicides

Contacts

Julie Pasche
Gary Secor

Research Areas

  • Study the biology of pathogens (e.g. fungus, bacteria, nematode, virus) causing diseases on soybean and strategies to manage diseases.
  • Identifying and developing soybean varieties with resistance to Sclerotinia (white mold), Diaporthe/Phomopsis, Phytophthora, Fusarium among others.
  • Increase communication to growers about soybean cyst nematode and best management practices

References

Contacts

Febina Mathew
Nematology: Guiping Yan
Extension: R. Wade Webster

Research Areas

  • Improving understanding of resistance to root rot and seedling disease for the billion dollar area industry
  • Discovering biochemical mechanisms that fungi use to cause disease
  • Introducing resistance into new varieties
  • Testing pathogens for resistance to common crop protection products

Contacts

Gary Secor
Extension: Eric Branch

Research Areas

  • Conducting the largest sunflower pathology program in North America with focus on Phomopsis stem canker, sunflower rust, downy mildew, Phoma black stem and Rhizopus head rot.
  • Developing disease forecasting models to manage Sclerotinia Stem Rot in canola.
  • Developing economical fungicide application methods for canola
  • Studying fungi and bacteria that attack Sclerotinia (white mold) for potential use in biological control
  • Identifying genes with multiple resistance to flax rust for incorporation into commercial varieties

Contacts

Canola: Luis del Rio Mendoza
Extension: Sam Markell