Sara May, The Pennsylvania State University – NEPDN
The Communicator: Volume 5, Issue 3, March 2024

Contact Sara May (srm183@psu.edu) for suggestions to include.
 

Help Needed!

Help is needed to prepare the Peer Review Digest articles. If you are interested in helping to compile recent peer-reviewed research to publish in this article, please get in touch with Sara May (srm183@psu.edu). The article is typically only published January-May and October-December, not during the summer months.  
 

Diagnostic guides

""Powdery scab of potato: A diagnostic guide 
https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-11-23-0097-DG
 
""Phytophthora nicotianae: A quick diagnostic guide for black shank of tobacco
https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-10-23-0085-DG
 
""Avocado scab caused by Elsinoe perseae: A diagnostic guide
https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-10-23-0084-DG
 

Pathogens


Ratoon stunting disease of sugarcane: A review emphasizing detection strategies and challenges https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-05-23-0181-RVW
 
Exploring factors conditioning the expression of Botryosphaeria dieback in grapevine for integrated management of the disease https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-04-23-0136-RVW
 
""A survey of Xylella fastidiosa in the U.S. State of Virginia reveals wide distribution of both subspecies fastidiosa and multiplex in grapevine https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-06-23-0212-R
 
Exaggerated plurivory of Macrophomina phaseolina: Accounting for the large host range claim and the shifting of scientific language https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-05-23-0154-R
 
Seasonal dynamics of various scab-causing Streptomyces genotypes among potato fields on Prince Edward Island https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-05-23-0149-R
 

Methods and protocols 

A new multiplex TaqMan qPCR for precise detection and quantification of Clavibacter michiganensis in seeds and plant tissue https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-23-1194-SR
 
TaqMan real-time PCR assay for specific detection and differentiation of Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa from other pathovars targeting a recombination mediator gene, recF https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-23-1827-RE
 
Detection and Differentiation of Xanthomonas translucens Pathovars translucens and undulosa from Wheat and Barley by Duplex Quantitative PCR https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-23-0887-SR
 
Rapid detection of Colletotrichum siamense from infected tea plants using filter-disc DNA extraction and loop-mediated isothermal amplification https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-23-0913-SC 
 
Comparative performance evaluation of double-stranded RNA high-throughput sequencing for the detection of viral infection in temperate fruit crops https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-12-23-0480-R
 
Rapid detection of a downy mildew pathogen, Peronospora destructor, in infected onion tissues and soils by loop-mediated isothermal amplification https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-11-23-0440-R
 
Sensitive and visual detection of brassica yellows virus using reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification-coupled CRISPR-Cas12 assay https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-06-23-0195-R
 

Notable First Reports 

Herbaceous ornamentals and turfgrass:  
""Berkeleyomyces rouxiae is responsible for black root rot on multiple milkweed species in South Carolina, USA https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-11-23-0101-SC  
 
First report of pitaya virus X infecting Lophocereus schottii f. mieckleyanus (thin-stemmed totem pole cactus) in the United States https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-23-1212-PDN
 
Woody ornamentals and forests:
First report of Phytophthora palmivora causing aerial blight on Physocarpus opulifolius 'summer wine' at a wholesale nursery in Virginia https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-11-23-0095-BR
 
""First report of Bretziella fagacearum infecting chestnut in Michigan https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-23-2267-PDN
 
First report of Achromobacter xylosoxidans causing bacterial stem and leaf blight on Cyrilla arida in Tennessee and the United States https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-24-0005-PDN
 
""First report of Phytophthora ramorum causing leaf spots on Cornus capitata (evergreen dogwood) in United States https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-12-23-2638-PDN
 
First report of Diplodia quercivora causing branch cankers on declining chestnut oak (Quercus montana) in Virginia https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-23-1289-PDN
 
Vegetables:
First report of cucurbit yellow vine disease caused by Serratia marcescens on cucurbit crops in Iowa https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-12-23-2716-PDN 
 
Tree fruit and small fruit: berries, nuts, stone and pome fruit
Occurrence of grapevine yellow speckle viroid 2 and Australian grapevine viroid in Idaho grapevines https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-24-0034-PDN
 
Detection and characterization of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa in rabbiteye blueberry in South Carolina https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-23-2392-SC 
 
Field crops, cannabis, sugar beet, potato, sunflower:
Identification and characterization of Pythium deliense causing sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) root rot in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-06-23-0058-RS
 
""First report of bacterial blight of pennycress caused by Xanthomonas campestris in Wisconsin https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-23-2420-PDN
 
Peer review highlights (top five-ten)
 
Tiny but mighty: Nanoscale materials in plant disease management https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-23-0970-FE
 
Open access and reproducibility in plant pathology research: Guidelines and best practices https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-12-23-0483-IA 
 
Comparison of molecular and morphological identification methods for Anguina seed gall nematodes in Oregon grasses grown for seed https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-01-24-0001-R
 
Characterization of powdery mildew fungi affecting hemp in the Pacific Northwest https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-07-23-0099-R
 
""Development of a qPCR assay for species-specific detection of the tar spot pathogen Phyllachora maydis https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-04-23-0050-FI
 

Extension

""Disease Control Products for Herb Bedding Plant Production
http://www.egroblog.com/showblog.php?ID=218
 
Going Viral: Highlighting viruses found this production season.
https://www.e-gro.org/pdf/2023-12-39.pdf