Contact Sara May (srm183@psu.edu), Sam Fieweger (sam.fieweger@wisconsin.gov), and Swarnalatha Moparthi (smopart@ncsu.edu) for suggestions to include.
The Communicator: Volume 5, Issue 5, May 2024


Diagnostic guides

Diagnostic guide for sclerotial blight and circular spot of sweetpotato https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-12-23-0110-DG

Methods and protocols

Herbaceous ornamentals and turfgrass: 

RSSC-lineage multiplex PCR assay detects and differentiates Ralstonia solanacearum, R. pseudosolanacearum, R. syzygii, and the R3bv2 subgroup https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-07-23-0087-R 

Validating and optimizing a method for detecting Phytophthora species by baiting leachate from arrays of container nursery plants https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-03-23-0044-FI 

Tree, tropical, and small fruit: berries, nuts, stone and pome fruit 

Development of a TaqMan real-time PCR for early and accurate detection of anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum siamense in Pachira glabra https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13081149 

Multiplex PCR assay for detection and identification of Gnomoniopsis idaeicola, the causal agent of blackberry collapse https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-09-23-0080-BR 

Comparative performance evaluation of double-stranded RNA high-throughput sequencing for the detection of viral infection in temperate fruit crops https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-12-23-0480-R 

Diagnostics of Fusarium wilt in banana: Current status and challenges https://bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ppa.13863  

Woody ornamentals and forests: 

SODplex, a series of hierarchical multiplexed real-time PCR assays for the detection and lineage identification of Phytophthora ramorum, the causal agent of Sudden Oak Death and Sudden Larch Death https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-09-22-0095-FI 

Field crops, cannabis, sugar beet, potato, sunflower: 

Dead or alive, that Is the question: Development and assessment of molecular Synchytrium endobioticum viability tests https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-06-23-0073-FI 

 

Vegetables, herbs and table beet: 

 

Multiplex quantitative PCR assay for detection of spinach and lettuce downy mildews using spore trapping https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-04-23-0045-FI 

Other: 

Development and validation of a high-throughput sequencing test for mitogenome and rDNA assembly and annotation, and its use in support of nematode identification of regulatory concern https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-04-22-0041-FI 

It’s a trap! An approachable guide to constructing and using rotating-arm air samplers https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-24-0131-SR 

 

Notable First Reports

Herbaceous ornamentals and turfgrass:
First report of the barley root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne naasi Franklin, 1965 from Pennsylvania, with new host report https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-24-0384-PDN
Discovery and characterization of two highly divergent variants of a novel potyvirus species infecting Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus L.) https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-24-0459-RE
Woody ornamentals and forests:
First report of Neodeightonia phoenicum causing black scorch and rot disease on date palms in Arizona https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-24-0491-PDN 
 
Vegetables, herbs and table beet:
First report of Globisporangium uncinulatum (syn. Pythium uncinulatum) causing Pythium wilt of artichoke in California https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-23-2078-PDN
 
Tree fruit and small fruit: berries, nuts, stone and pome fruit
First report of Calosphaeria pulchella causing canker and twig dieback of peach (Prunus persica) in California, U.S.A. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-24-0053-PDN
 
Field crops, cannabis, sugar beet, potato, sunflower:
Detection of beet curly top virus in Solanum jamesii, Artemisia tridentata, Helianthus annuus, and Cannabis sativa in Utah https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-24-0033-PDN
 
First report of bacterial leaf spot disease on sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. sesami in North Carolina https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-24-0292-PDN
 

Peer review highlights (top five-ten)

Specific detection of Phytophthora parasitica by recombinase polymerase amplification assays based on a unique multicopy genomic sequence https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-23-0722-RE
 
Corn leaf spot disease recognition based on improved YOLOv8
https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14050666
BerryNet-Lite: A lightweight convolutional neural network for strawberry disease identification
https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14050665
Examining the effects of prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) and prune dwarf virus (PDV) on peach (Prunus persica) pollen health
https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-08-23-0112-R
Heat treatment as a possible means to reduce Botrytis inoculum on strawberry transplants
https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-08-22-0078-RS
Field assessment of Lamium album in reducing mycotoxin biosynthesis in winter wheat infected by Fusarium culmorum https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14050647 
Multisite field evaluation of bacteriophages for fire blight management: Incorporation of ultraviolet radiation protectants and impact on the apple flower microbiome https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-04-23-0145-KC
Evaluation of pea accessions differing in flower and seed coat pigmentation for resistance to Fusarium avenaceum root rot DOI: 10.1002/leg3.230
The response of naturally based coatings and citrus fungicides to the development of four postharvest fungi https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10050309
Challenges in sustainable agriculture—The role of organic amendments https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14040643
 

Extension

Micronutrient deficiency induced interveinal chlorosis on schizanthus
https://www.e-gro.org/pdf/2024-13-22.pdf
""2024 disease alert: Late blight outbreak in high-tunnel tomatoes in NY https://extension.psu.edu/2024-disease-alert-late-blight-outbreak-in-high-tunnel-tomatoes-in-ny