Welcome to another edition of the Robigalia Roundup!
If you’re new here, Robigalia is your weekly roundup of the latest research, researchers, scholarships, and opportunities in plant pathology globally. Make sure you’re a subscriber to have these opportunities and events delivered directly to your inbox every Monday.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Kamalpreet Kaur et al., Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) in a historical germplasm collection in south-eastern Australia
Kadri Just & Usman Arif et al., Detection of Pepino Mosaic Virus in Imported Tomato Fruit in Northern Europe
Yuan Chen et al., RepA Protein of Citrus Chlorotic Dwarf-Associated Virus Impairs Perinuclear Chloroplast Clustering Induced by Lemon Chloroplast Malate Dehydrogenase
RESEARCH STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Meet Sheersa Manna
This week, I introduce Sheersa Manna, a Ph.D. student in the Zhao Lab at Washington State University’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Centre.
Growing up in India, Sheersa witnessed the struggles farmers face due to crop losses caused by plant diseases. Coupled with the knowledge of the potential of plant pathogens to cause famine and disrupt food security, this inspired Sheersa to pursue a career in plant pathology.
Sheersa’s PhD focuses on Bacterial Canker Disease (BCD) of Sweet Cherries caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae and Pseudomonas amygdali pv. morsprunorum, and she recently published the first report of Pam in the Pacific Northwest.
Currently, copper hydroxide and antibiotic sprays are used for BCD management. To reduce the reliance on antibiotics, Sheersa’s research includes profiling antimicrobial resistance in Pss and Pam, and studying its underlying resistance mechanism, aiming to enhance control measures for BCD in fruit trees.
Sheersa aspires to establish herself as a leading phytopathologist, contributing to global agriculture through research, innovation, and mentorship. Her ultimate mission is to enhance plant disease management practices to ensure a resilient and food-secure future for farmers worldwide.
Failures, unexpected results, and setbacks are part of the journey.
Her advice to fellow plant pathologists: “Research in plant pathology is rarely straightforward. Failures, unexpected results, and setbacks are part of the journey. The key is to stay resilient, adapt your approach, and refine your methods rather than seeing obstacles as barriers.”
If you would like to connect with Sheersa, you can contact her via LinkedIn.
OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS
New plant pathology opportunities are listed below. For the full list of live opportunities and events, head to my Opportunities and Events Board using the buttons below.
New PhD/Master’s Scholarships
MSc in Global Plant Health, The Sainsbury Lab, Apply by 29th August
PhD scholarship for Developing strategies for the control of ergot on farm, University of Cambridge, Apply by 30th August
New Jobs
Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University, Open until filled
Assistant Professor: Population and Disease Dynamics of Cereal Pathogens, Oregon State University, Closes 30th September
Assistant or Associate Professor - Fungal Biology/Mycology, University of Georgia, Open until filled
Plant Protection Technician, USDA, Closes 13th August
New Events
Save the Date for the PBRI Symposium, Melbourne State Library, 12 & 13 May 2026
MEME OF THE WEEK
Is this year your final year of the PhD?
— #The Struggling Scientists Podcast (#@TheStrugglingS4)
8:03 AM • Jul 18, 2025
THAT’S A WRAP
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P.P.S. Why Robigalia? The name comes from the Ancient Roman festival for crop protection. You can read all about the history here.