Jack Mascarenhas

Bio

My research is focused on analyzing the effects of fungicide applications on management of sweetpotato diseases and pesticide residue levels postharvest. Specifically, I am looking to find active ingredients that are available that can be used to manage black rot and southern blight of sweetpotato. I’m also working to pinpoint the key stages in the sweetpotato production cycle that these active ingredients should be applied in order to maximize resistance against disease symptoms appearing on the sweetpotato roots and slips to avoid transmission and maximize the marketable yield. At the same time, it is crucial to analyze the residues of the fungicides that could be retained on the sweetpotatoes to ensure that they are safe and acceptable for our export markets. I am proficient in field trial setup and maintenance, fungicide application, and ARM software.