Publications by authors named "S Rooney-Latham"
Article Synopsis
- Over 55% of U.S. lettuce is produced in California, with Monterey County as the leading region, where stunted and wilted lettuce varieties were observed in 2023-2024, showing significant disease symptoms.
- Diseased plants exhibited brown lesions that developed into sunken cavities, with infection rates ranging from 5% to 75%, and lab analysis revealed the presence of Phytophthora, a harmful pathogen associated with these symptoms.
- Genetic analysis of the isolates indicated hybridization among different Phytophthora species, suggesting the emergence of a new hybrid taxon proposed as P. taxon ×salinaslettuce, which was tested for pathogenicity on various lettuce cultivars.
Goji berries ( and ) have a rich historical significance in traditional Chinese medicine and have gained popularity as a superfood in Western cultures. From 2021 to 2023, powdery mildew was observed on goji plants of both species in community and residential gardens in Yolo County, California (U.S.
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- - In late 2022 and early 2023, CAL FIRE tree health experts assessed four maple trees in Elk Grove, California, which were in severe decline, exhibiting thinning canopies and visible bark damage due to cankers filled with fungi.
- - Laboratory analysis from the affected trees identified cultures of the fungus Cryptostroma corticale, using DNA sequencing techniques that confirmed its identity against a database of known organisms.
- - The study aimed to understand the extent of the fungal infection and the health issues affecting these exotic maple species, raising concerns about their viability in the California environment.
Article Synopsis
- The text describes a species of evergreen dogwood native to East Asia, known for its attractive creamy bracts and red fruit, with a recent issue involving leaf spots and dieback reported from a nursery in Humboldt County.
- In February 2023, samples from affected plants showed distinct leaf spots and were analyzed in a lab, leading to the isolation of specific fungal characteristics including coralloid hyphae and sporangia.
- Genetic analysis confirmed the isolate's identity and pathogenic potential, demonstrating a 100% match to known strains, and a pathogenicity test was performed on healthy plants to further evaluate the impact of the isolate.
Article Synopsis
- Goji berries, native to Asia, have been used for over 2,000 years for food and medicine, but their species are often hard to differentiate due to various cultivars and phenotypes.
- In Yolo County, California, Goji berry plants exhibited powdery mildew during the summers of 2021 and 2022, affecting 30-100% of leaves on infected plants.
- Detailed analysis of the fungal structures indicated specific characteristics that matched the descriptions of a known pathogen, further confirmed by genetic sequencing techniques.