Research in the department on Microbial Ecology focuses on biotic and abiotic mechanisms of suppression of pathogens in soils, biodiversity of plant-associated fungi, nematodes, bacteria and viruses, and population structure and dynamics of plant-pathogens and other plant-associated microbes. Epidemiological research focuses on disease forecasting in multiple pathosystems, spatial and temporary epidemiology, dynamics of fungicide resistance, host resistance, and impacts of resistance on pathogen populations.
- Dr. Oliver Baars – Analysis and biological chemistry of exudates in plant-microbe interactions. Nutrient controls on plant microbiome activity.
- Dr. Ignazio Carbone – Population structure and evolution of fungi; development of analytical and molecular tools
- Mr. William O. Cline — Population structure and race development in blueberry pathogens; mechanisms of post-harvest dispersal, contamination and infection in harvested fruit.
- Dr. Christina Cowger – Epidemiological impacts of host resistance; spatial and temporal epidemiology; population structure and biology of cereal diseases
- Dr. Marc Cubeta – Ecology and population dynamics of Sclerotinia and Rhizoctonia
- Dr. Shuijin Hu – Microbial community structure and functioning; soil microbial diversity and pathogen/disease suppression; soil microbes and global change
- Dr. Frank Louws – Farming system impacts on soil microbial communities; population structure and dynamics of Xanthomonads/plant-associated bacteria; cultural, fungicide, and host effects on epidemiology of strawberry diseases and bacterial diseases of tomato
- Dr. David Rasmussen – Phylogenetic and populations genetic methods for tracking the spread of plant and animal viruses. Evolutionary genetics of plant virus host ranges and pathogen emergence.
- Dr. Jean Beagle Ristaino – Farming system impacts on soil microbial communities; diversity and population dynamics of Phytophthora; spatial epidemiology; statistical methods
- Dr. David F. Ritchie – Host resistance deployment and population structure/dynamics of Xanthomonads/plant-associated bacteria; pathogen population shifts and development of bacterial disease epidemics