Plant Pathology

Our lab is focused on disease and nematode management in corn, cotton, peanuts and soybeans.  Our primary research goals are to:

• Determine the efficacy of disease and nematode management tactics
• Develop information on the economic benefits of disease and nematode management tactics
• Develop and improve weather-based spray advisories for crop diseases
• Refine and improve nematode identification and enumeration of collected soil samples
• Develop methods for site-specific application of nematicides
• Monitor and detect new or invasive diseases and nematodes of agronomic crops
• Monitor for fungicide resistance development
• Train students and postdocs in applied plant pathology and nematology

We feel our research goals are driven by Virginia’s ag stakeholders and are conducted to answer questions regarding disease and nematode issues to which current answers are not available or simply non-profitable.

The Plant Pathology program at the Tidewater AREC focuses on being accessible and relevant to the Virginia Ag Industry.  Our extension efforts aim to deliver timely, up-to-date information to growers, extension agents, ag companies, commodity groups and state and federal agencies on disease and nematode management in corn, cotton, peanuts and soybeans.  We provide daily services to Virginia’s ag industry through the Peanut Cotton InfoNet, the Tidewater AREC Nematode Diagnostic Lab and the Tidewater AREC Plant Diagnostic Clinic.  We are committed to providing fast, accurate information for these services we provide.  Overall, we believe extension information is stakeholder driven.

• Linda Byrd-Masters, Lead Technician - Plant Pathology and Nematode Diagnostic Laboratory
• Rachel Miller, Technician - Plant Pathology and Nematode Diagnostic Laboratory
• Matthew Wilkins, Technician - Plant Pathology and Nematode Diagnostic Laboratory