Robigalia Roundup #24

Hello Robigalia Reader and welcome to another week of Robigalia! If you’re new here, Robigalia is your weekly roundup of the latest research, researchers, scholarships, and opportunities in plant pathology globally.

This week, researchers ask whether viroids can be transmitted in essential oil, and we introduce Leandro Ribeiro Silveira, a Master’s student researching the antifungal potential of Streptomyces spp. 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

• Population Dynamics of Three Commercial Biocontrol Organisms on Strawberry Plants Grown in Coir Substrate Under Protection
  

• Foliar phosphite application to manage kauri (Agathis australis) dieback
  

• Assessment of Viroid Transmission Risk From Citrus Essential Oils
  

• A wheat tandem kinase activates an NLR to trigger immunity

Research Student of the Week

⭐ Meet Leandro Ribeiro Silveira⭐

Leandro Ribeiro Silveira, a master’s student at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, is dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions for disease management in agriculture. His research focuses on the potential of Streptomyces spp., a genus of actinobacteria known for its bioactive metabolite production, to combat fungal pathogens, particularly Phakopsora pachyrhizi, the causal agent of Asian soybean rust.

Leandro’s work encompasses multiple approaches including in vitro studies to inhibit spore germination, detached leaf assays, field trials to assess efficacy under real-world agricultural conditions and investigations into growth-promoting properties of Streptomyces spp. The ultimate goal of his research is to develop an eco-friendly bioproduct for sustainable disease management, contributing to healthier crops and a greener agricultural future.

Leandro’s journey into plant pathology began after completing his agronomy degree. Working alongside plant pathologists inspired him to envision a future where disease control is both sustainable and safe. His passion for exploring nature’s potential and working in harmony with it solidified his commitment to the field.

One of Leandro’s significant achievements has been establishing protocols for cultivating and testing Streptomyces, a notoriously challenging bacterial genus due to its complex cultivation requirements. Despite these challenges, his research has yielded promising results, highlighting the untapped potential of Streptomyces in agricultural applications.

In the short term, Leandro aims to provide robust evidence supporting the use of actinobacteria in agriculture by the conclusion of his master’s program. Looking further ahead, he plans to pursue a PhD within the next two years, focusing on soil-borne beneficial microorganisms. This aligns with his broader vision of fostering sustainable agricultural practices through innovative microbial solutions.

Leandro offers this advice to fellow plant pathology students: “Be patient and resilient, and build strong friendships along the way—we all need each other on this journey!”

A fun fact about Leandro, his fascination with fungi stems from an unexpected personal experience during his undergraduate studies. After purchasing a new kitchen cabinet for his home, it was quickly overtaken by mould during a rainy season. This frustrating encounter led him to “declare war on fungi,” unknowingly foreshadowing his future career in microbiology!

If you want to find out more about Leandro’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 **

🌟 If you have a scholarship or job available in your group, fill in this form to have it listed in Robigalia 🌟

PhD/Masters Scholarships

• PhD position in Lipopeptide-Based Biocontrol Strategies Against Septoria Tritici Blotch in Wheat

• Apply for a scholarship at The Sainsbury Laboratory for a one-year taught MSc in Global Plant Health

• PhD in plant virology with the Mehta lab

Jobs

• ** Professor - Microbial Interactions in Plant and Environmental Systems, University of Copenhagen (Closes 27th April)

• ** Postdoctoral research associate position on fungal pathogens in vegetable crops, University of Georgia (Closes 15th April)

• ** Assistant Extension Specialist in Fruit Pathology, Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University (No date listed)

• Executive Officer; Part time (0.5FTE) – Remote working for the British Society of Plant Pathology (Closes 11th April)

• Assistant Professor, Tenure-Track in Plant Pathology at Washington State University (Closes 21st April)

• Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Genomics and biosecurity at University of Canberra (Closes 6th April)

• 2-year postdoc position in fruit pathology, with a mixture of field trials and basic molecular mycology in Windsor, CT (no close date listed)

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

• 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)

Other News and Opportunities

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

• ** Register your abstract by 14th April for the 19th FPS Biennial Meeting at the University of Florida - Indian River Research and Education Center May 6-8, 2025

• Enter the AIPP-IAAS Italia video award “Plant protection in a minute” V Edition

• Register now for the Annual conference of the Oomycete Molecular Genetics Network 

• Register for Plant Pathology 2025 and Early Careers Plant Pathology 2025, the main annual meetings of the British Society for Plant Pathology

• Register for the 20th Congress on Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, in Cologne, Germany​

• Save the date for the Australasian myrtle rust conference happening 16th - 17th June 2025 in Auckland, NZ

• 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, June 1-6, 2025

• Register for the 25th Australasian Plant Pathology Society conference in Sydney in May 2025.

• 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