Peer Review Digest- Summer and Fall 2025

Sara May, The Pennsylvania State University – NEPDN, Swarnalatha& Moparthi, North Carolina State University – SPDN, and Samantha Fieweger, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection - NCPDN
The Communicator: Volume 7, Issue 1, February 2026
Contact Sara May, Swarnalatha& Moparthi, and Samantha Fieweger for suggestions to include.
Denotes publications with one or more authors who are members of NPDN.

Diagnostic Guides

Verticillium wilt of potato: A diagnostic guide

A diagnostic guide for Caliciopsis canker disease on North American conifers

Pathogens

Association of the pathogen Spiroplasma kunkelii with corn stunt symptoms in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, and Alabama During the 2024 growing season

Factors affecting plant-to-plant spread of Calonectria pseudonaviculata through pruning shears

Increasing container spacing and decreasing irrigation frequency reduces the spread of boxwood blight among container boxwood plants

Leafhopper taxa and populations in southern Idaho

Methods and protocols

Spatiotemporal detection of the cranberry false blossom disease-associated phytoplasma

Development and comparison of a LAMP assay with PCR-based methods for detecting Armillaria mellea in soil and root samples

Interlaboratory validation of high-throughput sequencing for the detection of viruses and viroids in apple, grapevine, and stone fruits

Multi-year evaluations of an FTA card–based detection protocol for four vector-borne viruses affecting potato

Advances in microfluidics for plant pathogen diagnostics

Notable First Reports

Herbaceous ornamentals and turfgrass:

First report of Serratia plymuthica causing root rot of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) in Tennessee and the United States

First report of anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum tropicale on ferns Reholttumia hudsoniana, Ctenitis latifrons, Cibotium menziesii, and Cibotium chamissoi in Hawaii

Woody ornamentals and forests:

First report of anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum fioriniae on flowering dogwood (Cornus floridaL.) in the southeastern United States

Pathogenicity of Phytophthora palmivora to Edgeworthia chrysantha: Importance of a conducive environment for disease development

Vegetables, herbs and table beet:

Watermelon crinkle leaf-associated virus 1 and Watermelon mosaic virus mixed infecting watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in Indiana

First report of Serratia sarumanii causing plant disease: A case from onion

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

First report of a new Potexvirus isolate from citrus in the United States

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

First report of Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 causing elephant hide of potatoes in Colorado

First report of Curvularia leaf spot of corn caused by Curvularia lunata in Minnesota

First report of Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulusa causing bacterial leaf streak on wheat in Arizona, USA

First report of Bipolaris gigantea causing Bipolaris leaf spot on hooked hair hops (Humulus japonicus) in Kentucky

Peer review highlights

Ultra-sensitive detection of Phytophthora pluvialis by real-time PCR targeting a mitochondrial gene

Characterization of a pea streak virus (PeSV) isolate from Idaho: Evaluation of risks to cool season food legume production in the Pacific Northwest and development of diagnostic tools

Detection and quantification of latent infection by Fusarium graminearum, causal agent of Fusarium head blight on hemp (Cannabis sativa) fields in Kentucky

Rapid detection of Pythium soft rot in ginger (Zingiber officinale) caused by Pythium myriotylum using LAMP

Replication and movement of in vitro-generated infectious RNAs of Potato mop-top virus RNAs in mechanically inoculated two potato cultivars

Fungicide resistance in Botrytis spp. isolates from the northeast and California strawberry fields

Low diversity of isolates of Calonectria ilicicola, the causal agent of red crown rot of soybean, detected across Illinois

Identification of Neopestalotiopsis spp. from strawberry leaf, fruit, and crown tissues in North Carolina

Fungal organisms associated with postharvest fruit rots on blueberry in Georgia (U.S.A.) surveyed over two growing seasons

Extension (e-gro and others)

Poinsettia: Stem miners

Christmas cactus: Phylloclade chlorosis

Best practices: Lean thinking for corn and soybean farms