Publications by authors named "Jill Check"
An increasing number of researchers are looking to understand the factors affecting microbial dispersion but are often limited by the costs of commercially available air samplers. Some have reduced these costs by designing self-made versions; however, there are no published sampler designs, and there is limited information provided on the actual construction process. Lack of appropriate reference material limits the use of these self-made samplers by many researchers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough improved knowledge on the movement of airborne plant pathogens is likely to benefit plant health management, generating this knowledge is often far more complicated than anticipated. This complexity is driven by the dynamic nature of environmental variables, diversity among pathosystems that are targeted, and the unique needs of each research group. When using a rotating-arm impaction sampler, particle collection is dependent on the pathogen, environment, research objectives, and limitations (monetary, environmental, or labor).
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- Phyllachora maydis is a fungal pathogen responsible for tar spot disease in corn, first identified in the U.S. in 2015.
- Research has focused on identifying the environmental factors that foster tar spot development, with moderate temperatures (18-23 °C) over longer periods being key to its growth.
- This study has led to the creation of predictive models using various weather parameters, enhancing the understanding of P. maydis and laying groundwork for anticipating future outbreaks.
Article Synopsis
- Tar spot is an escalating disease affecting corn, caused by the fungus Phyllachora maydis, and has been found in 18 U.S. states and one Canadian province as of 2023.
- A new method was developed to successfully infect 100% of corn plants with tar spot, using vacuum-collection tools to harvest spores and maintaining specific humidity and temperature conditions.
- The findings allow for consistent disease study and highlight that storage conditions of spores can significantly influence the success of disease induction.
In Michigan, corn (Zea mays) is grown on 2.35 million acres with an annual production valued at $1.36 billion dollars (USDA-NASS).
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