Public release date: 28-May-2003
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Contact: Amy Steigman
asteigman@scisoc.org
651-994-3802
American Phytopathological Society

Plant pathologists from around the world to meet in Charlotte, NC to discuss new research

St. Paul, MN (May 28, 2003) – On August 9-13, 2003, thousands of plant pathologists from across the world will gather at the Charlotte Convention Center for the Annual Meeting of the American Phytopathological Society (APS). Over a five-day period, these plant scientists will have the opportunity to attend more than 60 different sessions exploring such topics as current agricultural issues, new research discoveries, and recent technological advancements in plant heath science. Three discussions of special note are:

Oak Disease Threats Worldwide
A growing number of oaks infected with disease and a rapid decline of the oak population have prompted plant pathologists to take a close look at this revered tree. One disease has the potential to spread into new regions with potentially disastrous results. Sudden Oak Death has already killed tens of thousands of oaks along the California coast and has infected a growing number of other plant species. The symposium will cover current threats to this extremely valuable species group and the steps needed to minimize their impact.

Soybean Rust: Too Close for Comfort
Soybean rust has long been noted as a serious disease of soybean in Asia, Africa, and Australia, with yield losses reported from 10 to 80 percent. Known for its rapid, windborne spread, the recent establishment of soybean rust in South America has alarmed the U.S. soybean industry, which generates an estimated $13 billion annually. This symposium will cover the biology of the disease, current status of resistant breeding material, available molecular methods of detection and identification, disease control methods, disease spread and yield loss modeling for the U.S., and a presentation of the recently completed USDA Soybean Rust Action Plan.

Plant Health and Security in the Age of Genomics
Recent technological advances in plant health science and plans to protect the nation's crops from both intentional and non-intentional plant pathogen introductions will be the focus of APS' plenary session. The plenary session will feature the announcement of new national initiatives for plant biosecurity.

Members of the media are invited to attend annual meeting events and complimentary registration is available. The American Phytopathological Society (APS) is a non-profit, professional scientific organization dedicated to the study and control of plant diseases, with 5,000 members worldwide.

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