Robigalia Roundup #17

Hello Robigalia Reader and welcome back to Robigalia! If you’re new here, Robigalia is your weekly roundup of the latest research, tools, and opportunities in plant pathology.

This week, we highlight a recent study assessing the adaptation of a kiwifruit pathogen in New Zealand, and introduce a PhD student characterising fungicide resistance in Plasmopara viticola. As always, Robigalia subscribers can access my online database with summaries of Robigalia featured articles.

Keep reading for the latest updates!

Weekly Plant Pathology Highlights

• Genomic Biosurveillance of the Kiwifruit Pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae Biovar 3 Reveals Adaptation to Selective Pressures in New Zealand Orchards
  

• Constructing a Novel Disease Resistance Mechanism Model for Cruciferous Crops: An Example From Black Rot
  

• Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis and Its Biosecurity Threat to Oil Palm-Producing Countries
  

• Clubroot Disease in South Asia: Distribution and Management Practices

Research Student of the Week

⭐ Meet Francesco Altare ⭐

Francesco recently embarked on his PhD journey in plant pathology, driven by a passion for contributing to sustainable agriculture. With a strong background in agricultural science, specialising in viticulture and oenology, he developed a keen interest in plant diseases, particularly during his studies on grapevine pathogens.

His research focuses on two key pathogens: Plasmopara viticola, the causal agent of grapevine downy mildew, and Zymoseptoria tritici, the causal agent of septoria leaf blotch, which are responsible for significant crop losses in grapevines and wheat.

The main objectives of his PhD project are to characterise fungicide resistance by searching for point mutations, assess the impact on pathogenicity, study the effects of fungicides on the leaf microbiome, and understand the interactions between fungicides, pathogens, and resident microbial communities. He also aims to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying fungicide resistance through gene expression analysis.

Francesco's passion for nature and agriculture led him to choose this field, seeking a balance between scientific discovery and practical solutions for more sustainable farming. His advice for fellow students is, "Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because every error is a lesson that pushes you forward."

Fun fact: If Francesco weren't pursuing his PhD, he'd likely be overwhelmed by bottles of wine, attempting to pair them with the perfect dish 🍷

If you want to find out more about Francesco’s research, you can reach him via LinkedIn.

🌟 Want to feature your research? Fill out the EOI to feature in Robigalia 🌟 

PhD Scholarships and Jobs

New opportunities below are indicated by two asterisks at the start of the entry **

PhD Scholarships

Jobs

• ** Postdoctoral Researcher Position at UC Davis

• ** Assistant or Associate Professor and Extension Specialist - Ornamental Plant Pathology (No closing date listed)

• ** Research Assistant Positions (PhD/Postdoc level) in Plant Pathology and Molecular Microbiology at McGill University, Canada (Deadline 15th Feb)

• ** Public Information Manager - Brown Rugose Fruit Virus Response Program (Closes 16th Feb)

• Permanent Researcher position in Stephane Blanc group at PHIM, INRAE, Montpellier France to work on Traffic of viral macromolecules within host plants and role in the biology of multi-component viral systems (Deadline 4th March)

• Coming soon: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Molecular diagnostics at University of Canberra

• Research Assistant in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

• Research Assistant Professor in mycotoxin fungal biology in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana (Open until position is filled)

• The Plant Pathology Department at the University of Florida is advertising for a Assistant or Associate Professor in Plant Pathology (Open until position filled)

• Assistant Professor in Diagnostics and Bioinformatics at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University (Deadline 28th February)

• The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) welcomes applications for a 9-month, full-time tenure-track position in Field Crop Pathology at the assistant professor level (Deadline 15th February)

Other News and Opportunities

New opportunities below are indicated by two asterisks at the start of the entry **

• Apply to attend the 17th International Cereal Rusts and Powdery Mildews Conference in Vancouver which offers opportunities for early-career researchers to share their research with the agricultural community

• Register for the 8th International Workshop on Resistance Mechanisms and Breeding in forest trees in Canada

• Abstracts are open for the 25th Australasian Plant Pathology Society conference in Sydney in May 2025. They are also offering bursaries for ECRs!

• Submit your abstracts by 31st March for the Congress of the Mediterranean Phytopathological Union happening July 6 - 10th in Italy

• Register your interest for the 17th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference in Sydney in June 2025

Meme of the week

Before you go…

• Like or didn’t like this newsletter format? Let me know if the comments!

• Think a friend (or two) could benefit from reading? I’d love it if you could share this link with them.

Until next week,

Alyssa