University of Florida Department of Plant Pathology

08/28/2026

Eliana Alviárez Gutierrez, researcher and lecturer, and Jorge Ronny Díaz Valderrama, Associate Professor, at National University Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas in Peru present their special seminar "How Can We Defeat Frosty Pod Rot of Cacao?: A Technological, Biochemical, and Omics Approach."

The Plant Pathology Fall Seminar Series premiers on Tuesday, Sept. 1. For more information, visit https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/seminar.

08/26/2026

Alassane Sow, a graduate student advised by Dr. Matthew Smith, was honored twice at last month's annual meeting of the Mycological Society of America.

Sow received the Forest Fungal Ecology award, which supports ecological studies of fungal interactions in old growth forests or other unique or endangered ecosystems. He also received the James M. Trappe Travel Award, enabling him to attend the Portland, OR conference.

08/21/2026

Dr. Matthew Smith, mycologist and Professor of Plant Pathology, and graduate student Alassane Sow discuss all things mushrooms on the Coast to Canopy podcast from WFSU Public Media

Learn more and find the podcast here: https://news.wfsu.org/2026-08-20/mushrooms-and-other-fungi-in-florida

08/21/2026

Dr. Matthew Smith, mycologist and Professor of Plant Pathology, and graduate student Alassane Sow discuss all things mushrooms on the Coast to Canopy podcast from WFSU Public Media

We talk about north Florida mushrooms and fungi: foraging, edibility, toxicity, and the reality of the Wood Wide Web.

08/20/2026

It's the first day of campus for some, and just another day in the lab for others. Welcome to a new semester, Gators!

08/19/2026

“A large part of what motivates me is knowing that my research is not only scientifically interesting, but also directly relevant to growers and agricultural systems.”

Vitor Moura’s plant pathology journey has taken him from “the Midwest of Brazil” to the muck soil of the Everglades, where his research focuses on diseases of sweet corn, a crop worth $150 million a year to the state of Florida.

08/11/2026

UF/IFAS Plant Pathology students, alumni and faculty made their mark at last week’s Plant Health 2026, the annual meeting of the American Phytopathological Society.

More than sixty alumni, students, faculty and friends gathered for an alumni networking event during the meeting, held this year in Providence, Rhode Island.

Dr. Carrie Lapaire Harmon, Extension Specialist and Director of the UF/IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center, was honored with the ​Excellence in Regulatory Affairs and Crop Security Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to regulatory plant pathology, crop security, and trade enhancement efforts.

Three UF graduate students led session at the event:
- Amanda McVay led "Inside the Panel: Training the Next Generation of Federal Grant Reviewers" and "What Went Right? Success Stories from Plant Pathology"
-Roshni Panwala led "Public Policy 101 for Plant Pathologists"
- Arika Carey led "Disease Detection & Diagnostics"

Five graduate students were awarded travel grants to attend the event:
- Olivia Hofmann
- Sameerika Mudiyanselage
- Apekshya Parajuli
- Vitor Silva de Moura
- Zhuyuan Hu (Microbiology & Cell Science)

08/07/2026

Congratulations to our Summer 2026 graduates!

Jiawen Wen, Doctor of Philosophy
Apekshya Parajuli, Doctor of Philosophy
Sophia McDuffee, Doctor of Philosophy
Sean Wang, Doctor of Philosophy
Amber Lingaitis, Master of Science
Aaron I. Plex Sula, Doctor of Philosophy

08/05/2026

Dr. Carrie Lapaire Harmon, Extension Specialist and Director of the UF/IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center, was honored with the ​Excellence in Regulatory Affairs and Crop Security Award at this week's Plant Health 2026, the annual meeting of the American Phytopathological Society.

The ​Excellence in Regulatory Affairs and Crop Security Award recognizes outstanding contributions to regulatory plant pathology, crop security, and trade enhancement efforts.

The Plant Diagnostic Center is part of the National Plant Diagnostic Network, a consortium of diagnostic labs across all US states and territories protecting national plant health and security.

08/02/2026

Members of the plant pathology department led workshops this week for 4-H University, a weeklong event where senior 4-H youth from around Florida participated in educational workshops, explored career opportunities and led community service activities.