ABSTRACT
RVV Plant virology meeting (January 27-31, 2019, Aussois, France) allows researchers, engineers, technicians, students and post-docs to exchange around oral and poster presentations. These convivial meetings are 30 years old and have a nice future.
Subject(s)
Plant Diseases/virology , Plant Pathology , Plant Viruses/physiology , Animals , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/transmission , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/virology , Congresses as Topic , Disease Vectors , France , History, 21st Century , Host-Parasite Interactions/physiology , Host-Pathogen Interactions/physiology , Humans , Insecta/physiology , Insecta/virology , Plant Pathology/history , Plant Pathology/organization & administration , Plant Pathology/trends , Societies, Medical/history , Societies, Medical/organization & administration , Societies, Medical/trendsABSTRACT
To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Virology a survey is made of the plant viruses, virologists and their institutions, and tools and technology described in the first decade of plant virus publications in Virology. This was a period when plant viruses increasingly became tools of discovery as epistemic objects and plant virology became a discipline discrete from plant pathology and other life sciences.
Subject(s)
Plant Pathology/history , Plant Pathology/organization & administration , History, 20th CenturyABSTRACT
Extension plant pathologists deliver science-based information that protects the economic value of agricultural and horticultural crops in the United States by educating growers and the general public about plant diseases. Extension plant pathologists diagnose plant diseases and disorders, provide advice, and conduct applied research on local and regional plant disease problems. During the last century, extension plant pathology programs have adjusted to demographic shifts in the U.S. population and to changes in program funding. Extension programs are now more collaborative and more specialized in response to a highly educated clientele. Changes in federal and state budgets and policies have also reduced funding and shifted the source of funding of extension plant pathologists from formula funds towards specialized competitive grants. These competitive grants often favor national over local and regional plant disease issues and typically require a long lead time to secure funding. These changes coupled with a reduction in personnel pose a threat to extension plant pathology programs. Increasing demand for high-quality, unbiased information and the continued reduction in local, state, and federal funds is unsustainable and, if not abated, will lead to a delay in response to emerging diseases, reduce crop yields, increase economic losses, and place U.S. agriculture at a global competitive disadvantage. In this letter, we outline four recommendations to strengthen the role and resources of extension plant pathologists as they guide our nation's food, feed, fuel, fiber, and ornamental producers into an era of increasing technological complexity and global competitiveness.
