Bacterial Pathogens in the tropics/subtropics
The focus of our research program is the study of bacterial plant pathogens and the diseases they cause on plants in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide
Our Lab
Resources of this laboratory includes a collection of 6000 + bacterial strains which have been used for serological, biochemical, epidemiological and molecular genetic research. The collection is now being curated and prepared for distribution. Strains were collected from multiple hosts from 1955 to 2020. Strains collected in early years were classified with the appropriate names assigned at the time. Multiple taxonomic changes in the genera and species of plant pathogenic bacteria has made it necessary to reclassify strains using current molecular technologies.
Graduate Programs
A recently developed intensive non-thesis MS program is now available in Tropical Plant Pathology, which includes a series of lab-lecture courses and field experience. The intensive program requires only 10.5 months and prepares graduates for employment in agro-industry, government, and/or further studies. The traditional MS in Tropical Plant Pathology requires a thesis and is usually completed within 2 to 2.5 years. The Ph.D. program is open to all MS students. It is focused on advanced research and requires 3 to 5 years to complete the program with a dissertation.
Publications
Publications by Dr. Anne M. Alvarez, students and colleagues are categorized by topic. Current research with Dr. Mohammad Arif, Dr. Shefali Dobhal, and students is described in the publications. Bacterial strains that have typical characteristics of a group and/or have been used for developing diagnostic tests are described in the Pacific Bacterial Collection (PBC) website- BELOW. Reference strains that have been used in field trials for epidemiological studies are described in publications. Links to the images of the diseases caused by the bacteria in this collection are provided on the PBC website.