Donald L. Hopkins, Ph.D.
Professor of Plant Pathology

A mission-oriented plant pathology research program in both fruit and vegetable crops that includes the development of control measures for important diseases of cucurbits and grapes with major emphasis on problems of a bacterial or fungal nature.

CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS:

• Use of molecular methods and host range to identify and characterize pathotypes of Xylella fastidiosa causing disease on various host plants, including urban shade trees and shrubs.
• Cross-protection with benign strains of X. fastidiosa as a control method.
• Role of seed transmission by cucurbits in the epidemiology of bacterial fruit blotch of watermelon.
• Efficacy of the plant disease activator, Actiguard, for bacterial fruit blotch and gummy stem blight of watermelon in the transplant house and field.
• Evaluation of nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum isolates for the biological control of Fusarium wilt in the field.
• Efficacy testing of new fungicides and bactericides for cucurbits.