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
Sarra Aouzal et al., Chocolate spot of faba bean (Vicia faba L.): disease status and pathogen phenotypic variability in Morocco
Xiaoxiao Zhang et al., Identification of a Key Gain-of-Function Residue for Effector Binding by In Vitro Shuffling of Barley Mla NLR Genes
Nicola Luchi et al., New Insight Into DNA Isolation From Ceratocystis platani Conidia Using Automated Recovery
RESEARCH STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Meet Landry Richard G. Rabakomanantsoa
This week, I introduce Landry Richard G. Rabakomanantsoa, a Ph.D. student from CIRAD in France.
Growing up in Madagascar, Landry’s interest in plant pathology came from a desire to develop solutions for the management of rice pathogens, with many farmers lacking access to fungicides.
Landry’s research focuses on the rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae. Upland rice was introduced to Vakinankaratra, a highland region in Madagascar, in 1990. Since then, blast has been a problem for new varieties. By 2006, the Chommrong Dhan variety had become widespread, covering 80% of the area used for upland rice farming due to its partial resistance to P. oryzae.
Landry’s research aims to study the evolution of P. oryzae before and after the widespread adoption of the Chommrong Dhan rice variety, and to identify the genes involved in the resistance mechanism of this variety.
While Landry is still focusing on completing his PhD, he hopes to pursue a postdoctoral position in the future to continue his career in plant pathology.
Love the topic!
His advice for fellow plant pathologists is simple, and I couldn’t agree more: “Love the topic!”. A PhD is a long journey, so it’s important to love what you’re researching.
You can reach out to Landry on LinkedIn to discuss his research.
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
No new listings today, check out the 5 open opportunities in the scholarships board
New Jobs
Chair of Cereal Rust, University of Sydney, Closes 25th September 2025
Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Genetic Basis of Sexuality in Fusarium, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Closes 30th November
Plant Pathologist, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Sydney, Closes 1st September
Postdoctoral Opportunity, Fungal and Bacterial Microbiome in the Strawberry Rhizosphere: Ecological Keys to Natural Resistance to Root Disease, Closes 5th September
New Events
Wheat Pest and Disease Diagnosis and Monitoring Workshop, Virtual, 18th September
Annual SIA Narrabri Field Day 2025 : I.A. Watson Grains Research Centre, New South Wales, 10th September
MEME OF THE WEEK
tbf, it probably will have a bigger impact on that fire than on my research field 😭
— #The Struggling Scientists Podcast (#@TheStrugglingS4)
8:02 AM • Jul 29, 2025
THAT’S A WRAP
Before you go: here are 2 ways I can help you
1) List a scholarship, job, or event in Robigalia — We help you advertise your opportunity or event to a global network of plant pathologists for free.
2) Book a call with me — Whether it’s career advice, assitance with an application or general advice, you can check my schedule to book in some time with me.
See you next Monday
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P.S. Why Robigalia? The name comes from the Ancient Roman festival for crop protection. You can read all about the history here.