Center pathology team presents at annual APS meeting

Three members of our pathology team presented at the annual meeting of the American Phytopathological Society held on August 12-16 in Denver, Colorado.

✓ Cooper Calvin (MS student) presented a poster on 'Emerging diseases and abiotic disorders in California strawberries'; Delivered an update on Neopestalotiopsis rosae pathogenicity tests in the Small Fruit Disease Worker's Discussion; And competed in the quiz Diagnostic Bowl event (go Cooper!).

✓ Joseph Ramirez (incoming MS student) delivered a short presentation on Macrophomina and Verticillium cultivar trials in the Small Fruit Disease Worker's Discussion.

✓ Dr. Shashika Hewavitharana (pathology team leader) presented on 'The effect of wheat cover crop on charcoal rot in strawberry' on behalf of Cal Poly alum Mary Steele; She also moderated the 'Soilborne Disease Management' technical session.

Cal Poly Strawberry Center alum Dr. Scott Cosseboom, currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Maryland, presented a poster on 'Validation of two disease prediction models in Maryland wine grape vineyards for ripe rot caused by Colletotrichum spp.'. Alum Jack Koster, now a lecturer in the Biology & Chemistry Department at CSU-Monterey Bay, also attended along with six students from his department, all presenting posters.