Plantopia The American Phytopathological Society (APS)

In this episode, Dr. Niklaus Grunwald, Research Plant Pathologist with the Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, joins host Matt Kasson for an engaging conversation about emerging phytophthora diseases, the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration in addressing global agricultural challenges, and exciting developments in plant health research, including gene editing, high-throughput data analysis, and robotic phenotyping.
Special Guest: Niklaus Grunwald.

In this episode, Dr. Romina Gazis, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology and Director of the Plant Diagnostic Clinic at the University of Florida, joins host Matt Kasson for an engaging conversation about growing up in Peru, her love of mycology and fungal diseases, and her tireless work to diagnose and manage tropical fruit diseases in Florida.


Show notes


University of Florida Tropical Research & Education Center Faculty Profile: https://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/people/romina-gazis/


Find Romina Gazis on X (formerly Twitter): @ClinicPlant


Recent APS Press Publication: Belizaire, C.M., Gañán-Betancur, L. and Gazis, R., 2024. Avocado scab caused by Elsinoe perseae: A diagnostic guide. Plant Health Progress, pp.PHP-10. https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PHP-10-23-0084-DG


This episode is produced by Association Briefings.
Special Guest: Romina Gazis.

In this episode, Dr. Mannon Gallegly, centenarian and Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology at West Virginia University, joins host Matt Kasson for an engaging conversation about Mannon’s storied 80+ year career as a plant pathologist. Dr. Gallegly shares stories of working alongside Wood Food Prize recipient John S. Niederhauser and Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug in Mexico in the 1950s and 1960s.


Show notes


West Virginia University Faculty Profile here: https://www.davis.wvu.edu/faculty-staff/directory/mannon-gallegly


News Release of Mannon’s Majesty, a Late Blight and Septoria Leaf Blight resistant Tomato Variety: https://wvutoday.wvu.edu/stories/2024/01/24/wvu-professor-emeritus-and-creator-of-the-people-s-tomato-unveils-final-variety-makes-limited-seeds-available-for-growers


Donate to the Mannon E. Gallegly Student Travel Fund: https://www.apsnet.org/members/give-awards/donate/giving/funds/Pages/Gallegly.aspx


Phytopathology News article on Mannon’s fund: https://www.apsnet.org/members/community/phytopathology-news/2024/march/Pages/Mannon-Gallegly.aspx


APS link to the 1948 APS North Central Meeting at the University of Minnesota and the 1965 Potato Association of America Meeting in Mexico City: https://www.apsnet.org/members/give-awards/donate/giving/funds/Pages/Gallegly.aspx


This episode is produced by Association Briefings.
Special Guest: Mannon Gallegly.

In this episode, join host Matt Kasson as he engages in a conversation with Dr. Megan McCaghey, Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. McCaghey shares insights into her career journey shaped by agriculture, the deliberate choice to pursue a master's degree before a PhD, and her ongoing research on Southern blight and Phytophthora sojae. The discussion also explores her current and future teaching commitments, the transformative impact of the pandemic on her teaching methods, mentoring and networking approaches, and valuable advice for early-career scientists.


Show notes


UMN Department of Plant Pathology Faculty Profile here: https://plpa.cfans.umn.edu/people/megan-mccaghey


McCaghey Lab Website: https://mccagheylab.cfans.umn.edu/


Find Megan McCaghey on X (formerly Twitter): @MN_Soil_Fungi


2023 Research Highlight on Dr. McCaghey’s work on Soybeans by the Soybean Research and Information Network: Improving Tools for Soybean Breeders to Fight White Mold


Recent APS Press Publication: Webster, R.W., McCaghey, M., Mueller, B.D., Groves, C.L., Mathew, F.M., Singh, A.K., Kabbage, M. and Smith, D.L., 2023. Development of Glycine max Germplasm Highly Resistant to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. PhytoFrontiers™, 3(3), pp.629-638. https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/full/10.1094/PHYTOFR-01-23-0009-R


This episode is produced by Association Briefings.
Special Guest: Megan McCaghey.

In the season 4 premier of Plantopia, new host Matt Kasson, associate professor of forest pathology and mycology at West Virginia University, talks to Dr. Jim Bradeen, season 2 and 3 host of Plantopia, professor of plant pathology, and associate vice president at Colorado State University Spur Campus. The two discussed what interested Jim in plant sciences, what he's passionate about, the importance of pursuing a master's degree, his impact on the establishment of CSU's Spur Campus, advice for students and people in academia, leadership, and the future of Plantopia.


Show notes


The full transcript for this episode can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/5n8zrkfs


Colorado State University Faculty Profile here: https://president.colostate.edu/presidents-office-team/


CSU SPUR Profile: https://csuspur.org/profiles/jim-bradeen/


Find Jim Bradeen on X (formerly Twitter): @JimBradeen


Find Jim Bradeen on BlueSky: @jimbradeen.bsky.social


This episode is produced by Association Briefings.
Special Guest: Jim Bradeen.

In this episode, Dr. Rubella Goswami, director for the Plant Protection Division at USDA’s-National Institute of Food and Agriculture, joins host Jim Bradeen to talk about her vast career in plant pathology, how a global perspective influenced her career, transitioning from academia to industry, the challenges for women in science, and advice for young professionals in the field.


Show notes


The full transcript for this episode can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/3buv4jse


This episode is produced by Association Briefings.
Special Guest: Rubella Goswami.