In this episode, Dr. Tim Widmer, Plant Pathologist and former USDA ARS scientist and National Program Leader joins host Matt Kasson to discuss his 2025 APS Fellow Award, his career as a federal researcher focused on biological control and emerging pathogens, and his more recent role as USDA ARS program leader. He discusses the challenges that service-minded scientists face in today's changing political and funding landscape, while encouraging those that are able to pursue federal positions to do so help shape the future of agriculture and plant health.
Show Notes
Dr. Tim Widmer's USDA Under The Microscope Interview: https://www.ars.usda.gov/oc/utm/so-much-depends-upon-a-strong-green-bough-the-vital-importance-of-plant-health/
Dr. Tim Widmer’s ResearchGate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Timothy-L-Widmer-37720758
This episode is produced by Association Briefings (https://associationbriefings.com). Special Guest: Tim Widmer.
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35:04
A Conversation with APS President Dr. Karen Garrett
In this episode, Dr. Karen Garrett, Preeminent Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida and current APS President joins host Matt Kasson to discuss her research journey and diverse research program on tropical and international agriculture, microbiomes, epidemiology and disease ecology among others. She discusses the various ways APS is supporting and advocating for its members during a time of uncertainty and rapid policy change. She also highlights some of the exciting workshops and speakers for Plant Health 2025.
Show Notes
Dr. Karen Garrett’s University of Florida Faculty Profile: https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/people/faculty-pages/karen-garrett/
Dr. Karen Garrett’s Lab Webpage: https://www.garrettlab.com/
Dr. Karen Garrett’s Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8dMWriAAAAAJ&hl=en
APS Member Support and Resources: https://www.apsnet.org/members/engagement/Pages/Support-resources.aspx
Aps Plant Health 2025 Webpage: https://www.apsnet.org/meetings/annual/PH2025/Pages/default.aspx
This episode is produced by Association Briefings (https://associationbriefings.com). Special Guest: Karen Garrett.
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40:01
Plants Get Parasitic Worms Too
In this episode, Dr. Marisol Quintanilla, Assistant Professor of Nematology in the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University joins host Matt Kasson to discuss her research on plant parasitic nematodes in Michigan’s vegetable, fruit, and field crops. She discusses the various life strategies and management approaches for diverse nematodes threatening U.S. soybean, hops, and sugar beet production among other crops. She also talks about the challenges of engaging with the general public outside of growers and farmers given the cryptic lifestyles of these microscopic roundworms that thrive beneath our feet.
Show Notes
Dr. Marisol Quintanilla’s Michigan State University Faculty Profile: https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/marisol_quintanilla
MSU Extension Fruit and Nuts article featuring entomopathogenic nematodes: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/advances-on-the-management-of-the-spotted-wing-drosophila-with-entomopathogenic-nematodes
Summary of Dr. Quintanilla’s grant to study Potato Early Dying Disease: https://www.thepacker.com/news/produce-crops/researchers-seek-new-strategies-combat-yield-reducing-potato-disease
Dr. Marisol Quintanilla 's Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=a1XCPT8AAAAJ&hl=en
This episode is produced by Association Briefings (https://associationbriefings.com). Special Guest: Marisol Quintanilla.
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43:15
The Fastidious and The Curious
In this episode, Dr. Kranthi Mandadi, Professor of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Weslaco, Texas, joins host Matt Kasson to discuss his basic and translational research of fastidious (unculturable) plant pathogens including the causal agents of citrus greening disease (HLB) and zebra chip disease. He talks about his lab's innovative approaches to combatting plant diseases throughout the southern U.S. and his Texas-sized ambitions to develop solutions through public-private partnerships with industry. He also discusses the challenges of working with obligate unculturable plant pathogens and the need to balance basic science pursuits with high-risk / high-reward research.
Show Notes
Texas A & M University Plant Pathology and Microbiology Faculty Profile: https://plantpathology.tamu.edu/people/mandadi-kranthi/
Mandadi Lab webpage: https://agrilife.org/mandadilab/group/
2024 APS Syngenta Award Profile: https://www.apsnet.org/members/give-awards/awards/Syngenta/Pages/2024-Syngenta_Mandadi.aspx
Farm Progress article on Dr. Mandadi: https://www.farmprogress.com/fruit/scientists-shift-from-defense-to-offense-to-fight-citrus-greening
Dr. Kranthi Mandadi's Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rWVhJ94AAAAJ&hl=en
This episode is produced by Association Briefings (https://associationbriefings.com). Special Guest: Kranthi Mandadi.
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46:44
Why a Collection of Dead Fungi Matters
In this episode, Dr. Lisa Castlebury, Research Mycologist and Leader of the Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory with the USDA ARS and Director of the U.S. National Fungus Collections, joins host Matt Kasson to discuss her long career with the U.S.D.A. A.R.S. and her lab’s role in identifying foreign and domestic plant pathogenic fungi and managing over a million accessions housed in the U.S. National Fungus Collections. She also reflects on her early experiences growing up in Illinois and being part of some of the earliest fungal DNA-based studies in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Show notes
USDA ARS Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory official website: https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-barc/beltsville-agricultural-research-center/mycology-and-nematology-genetic-diversity-and-biology-laboratory/
USDA ARS Employee Profile: Lisa Castlebury : USDA ARS (https://www.ars.usda.gov/people-locations/address/?person-id=10294)
Dr. Lisa Castlebury’s Google Scholar profile: Lisa A. Castlebury - Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iGCZIKsAAAAJ)
This episode is produced by Association Briefings (https://associationbriefings.com). Special Guest: Lisa Castlebury.
Healthy plants are the foundation for life on our planet. They produce the oxygen we breathe and over 80% of the food we eat. The Plantopia podcast series explains how protecting plant health can ensure a sustainable future. Inspired by the United Nations declaration of 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health, the American Phytopathological Society created Plantopia so you can explore the world of plant health in company with plant pathologists—people on a mission to protect plants and our food supply.
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