Organizer: Madison Flasco, PhD – Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center
Organizer: Alejandro Olmedo-Velarde – Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology, Iowa State University
Organizer: Andrea Sierra-Mejia – University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Organizer: Jennifer R. Wilson – USDA-ARS Corn, Soybean & Wheat Quality Research Unit
Ticketed event; preregistration required
Brief Description: This field trip will showcase the research stations and plots where University of Hawaii at Manoa personnel including faculty, extension agents, and students perform research on a variety of agricultural tropical crops including, but not limited to corn, avocado, lichee, citrus, cacao, papaya, sweet potato, taro and banana. Three research stations will be visited that are located throughout the Island of Oahu: Oahu Urban Garden Center, Waimanalo Research Station, and Poamoho Research Station. These stations harbor not only a unique diversity of agricultural crops, but also a great repertoire of plant diseases with several exemplary and infamous diseases such as papaya ringspot, papaya powdery mildew, banana bunchy top, among others. The itinerary and trip were designed so that the attendees can appreciate different areas of the Island of Oahu as well as grasp the different nature and scenic views present in the West, Central and East sides of Oahu, including a brief visit to a look out
Sponsoring Chairperson: Christian G. Aguilar – Agrofresh
Organizer: Achour Amiri, Associate Professor – Washington State University
Organizer: Collins Bugingo – Oregon State University
Sponsoring Chairperson: Romina Gazis, PhD – Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Homestead, FL, USA
Organizer: Wayne Jurick II – USDA-ARS
Organizer: Achala N. KC – Oregon State University
Organizer: Jane Marian S. Luis – University of Hawaii at Manoa
Ticketed event; preregistration required
Brief Description: This tour will encompass several aspects of the tropical fruit supply chain, from cultivation in the field to postharvest handling in the packing shed, to phytosanitary treatment of agricultural commodities in preparation for export. Attendees will visit local farms to observe and learn about production of cacao, apple banana, papaya, eggplant, pineapple as well as others, and in so doing, will be able to witness firsthand the passion involved with managing multi-generational family-owned farms. Guests will be able to enjoy the flavors of freshly grown produce to the backdrop of breathtaking scenery all the while learning about some of Hawaii’s most pressing agricultural issues such as crop diversification, food sovereignty and pest management.
Organizer: Nikita Gambhir – FMC Corp.
Organizer: Daniel Winter Heck – Cornell University
Organizer: Camila Nicolli – University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Ticketed event; preregistration required
Description: The Introduction to Python for Plant Pathologists Workshop organized by CLARE and Epidemiology committee in 2022 gained much interest from the APS community with 70+ registered participants. However, it was conducted fully virtually without the hands-on collaborative environment that enriches interactive learning experiences. To improve the hands-on learning experience, this in-person workshop will focus on how Machine Learning can be used to analyze and interpret complex data sets, particularly in the context of plant disease detection and management. With a mix of theoretical and hands-on sessions, participants will learn how to utilize Python for data manipulation, visualization, and implementing machine learning algorithms.
Given machine learning's increasing relevance in data science and its application in various fields, this workshop is applicable to a broad APS audience, ranging from those new to programming to experienced researchers seeking to integrate it into their work. The sessions will be structured to accommodate varying levels of expertise, ensuring that every attendee gains valuable insights regardless of their prior experience with Python. Participants will learn how to interpret data for informed decision-making and how to standardize methodologies for broader applicability across global plant health networks.
Plant Health 2025 Theme: The proposed workshop, Python and Machine Learning for Plant Pathologists, directly supports the Plant Health 2025 theme, "Global Communities Collaborating to Address Global Risks," by equipping plant health professionals with essential data analysis and programming skills that go beyond geographic and institutional boundaries. Python, as an accessible (free) and widely used programming language, provides a universal platform for collaboration, enabling researchers and practitioners to share data, tools, and insights effectively.
This workshop fosters the development of innovative strategies by demonstrating how machine learning can be utilized to address critical global risks in plant health, such as modeling disease spread, analyzing crop loss, and evaluating management interventions. The workshop promotes a shared language for data-driven solutions, enhances cross-disciplinary collaboration, and strengthens global efforts to safeguard plant health. This aligns seamlessly with the meeting's goal to connect communities and advance collective knowledge to mitigate plant health challenges worldwide.
Target Audience: Students, Epidemiologists, Post-Docs, Bioinformaticians, Precision Agriculture Professionals, Plant Pathologists Interested in Data Analyses, and Data Scientists.
Organizer: Achyut Adhikari – University of Hawaii at Mānoa
Organizer: Bhawana Ghimire – Bartlett Tree Experts
Organizer: Emma Lookabaugh – BASF
Organizer: Alberto Ricordi – University of Hawaii
Ticketed event; preregistration required
Brief Description: Participants on the ornamental field trip will experience Oahu’s rich history while learning about tropical plant cultivation and nursery production. We will start the day at Green World Coffee Farm and learn how Farmer Green converted pineapple fields into a 7-acre coffee farm, shop and café. After filling up, we head to Waimea Valley Botanic Garden. The Valley includes 52 themed gardens and is home to over 5000 documented types of tropical and subtropical plants including native Hawaiian plants and globally endangered species. The garden visit will include a Kipahele tour with expert garden staff, catered picnic-style lunch, and an optional hike to Waimea Falls. After lunch, we will visit Alluvion Nursery, a locally owned and operated wholesale nursery and florist. Then it’s back on the bus for a scenic trip down the windward side of the island. Along the way we’ll stop at Tropical Farms for some macadamia nuts and end the day with a relaxing stroll through Byodo-In Temple grounds.
Organizer: Nicklos S. Dudley – Hawaii Agriculture Research Center
Organizer: Carrie Fearer – Virginia Tech
Organizer: Elena Karlsen-Ayala – USDA Forest Service
Ticketed event; preregistration required
Brief Description: Explore how scientists at the Hawaiian Agriculture Research Center (HARC) are using genetics, silvicultural practices, and breeding techniques to advance Hawaii's forestry sector and improve the yield and quality of harvested trees. This tour will highlight the successful host-resistance program of the endemic, high-value hardwood tree, Acacia koa, that is threatened by the disease koa wilt. After the tour of the Maunawili Substation led by HARC senior forest scientist, we will be taken on a disease walk by USFS research plant pathologists in the nearby Waimānalo Forest Reserve to observe other tree diseases threatening Hawaii's native tree species, including Rapid Ohi'a death and myrtle rust.
Organizer: Niklaus Grünwald – USDA-Agricultural Research Service
Organizer: Jeff Chang – Oregon State University
Organizer: Upasana Dhakal – Oregon State University
Organizer: Reza Mazloom – Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, U.S.A.
Organizer: Boris A. Vinatzer – School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
Ticketed event; preregistration required
Description: Generation and analysis of whole genome sequence data remains challenging. However, new computational technologies are rapidly making whole genome sequence analysis more accessible. In this workshop, participants will learn how to work with the nf-core pipeline PathogenSurveillance (PS) and the genomeRxiv web server. PS is a population genomic pipeline for pathogen diagnosis, variant detection, and biosurveillance. The pipeline accepts short and long read data. Significant features include the ability to analyze unidentified eukaryotic and prokaryotic samples, creation of reports for multiple user-defined groupings of samples, automated discovery and downloading of reference assemblies from NCBI RefSeq, and rapid initial identification based on k-mer sketches followed by a more robust core genome phylogeny and SNP-based phylogeny. The genomeRxiv web server provides a powerful method to infer the identities of fungal and bacterial pathogens at within-species resolution either using assembled genomes or k-mer sketches of unassembled genomes as queries. genomeRxiv and PS can be used in parallel to automate genome processing and analyses. Together these two approaches simplify and accelerate use of genome sequencing in disease diagnosis by returning multiple outputs to cross-validate pathogen identification. They also accelerate whole genome data processing and analyses for use in fundamental research. Participants are expected to bring their own laptop, and all computational work will be done in a virtual learning lab on gitpod.
Plant Health 2025 Theme: Plant pathogens continue to emerge at accelerated rates globally due to increases in trade, climate warming and land use. Rapid tools for biosurveillance of pathogens that can diagnose pathogens in real time, detect new invasive species and novel variants are needed to address Global Risk.
Target Audience: This workshop is geared to graduate students, postdocs or scientists that want to analyze whole genome sequences for pathogens including bacteria and eukaryotes (but excluding virus genomes).
Organizer: Ashish Adhikari, PhD – Plant Pathology Department, University of Florida
Organizer: Karen Garrett, PhD – Plant Pathology Department, Global Food Systems Institute, 3Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
Organizer: Romaric Mouafo Tchinda – Plant Pathology Department, Global Food Systems Institute, 3Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
Organizer: Aaron Isai Plex Sula – Plant Pathology Department, Global Food Systems Institute, 3Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
Organizer: Jacobo Robledo Buritica, n/a – Plant Pathology Department, University of Florida
Ticketed event; preregistration required
Description: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are cutting-edge tools that provide solutions to global challenges in plant pathology. These technologies have enhanced prediction accuracy in epidemic forecasts, allowing researchers to anticipate disease outbreaks with greater precision. They also identify complex patterns in multidimensional datasets, integrating diverse features to uncover trends that were hardly captured in less complex models. Moreover, AI and ML have played a pivotal role in developing systems that identify plant diseases from images, empowering non-experts to obtain accurate disease predictions instantly through mobile devices. Breakthroughs in bioinformatics have further enabled protein structure predictions with near-experimental accuracy, facilitating advancements in molecular plant-pathogen interaction studies and the discovery of new molecules. Together, these innovations have strengthened epidemiological forecasting, democratized disease classification, and accelerated research at the molecular level.
Plant Health 2025 Theme: This workshop aligns with the theme "Global Communities Collaborating to Address Global Risks" by highlighting the potential of AI and ML in advancing plant health. These technologies foster global collaboration by enabling researchers to address shared challenges such as epidemic forecasting, image-based disease diagnostics, and protein structure predictions. Participants will gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools, facilitating practical implementation while leveraging advances in statistics and computer sciences, fields renowned for their collaborative nature. This submission underscores the power of innovative technologies and multidisciplinary action in tackling global plant health risks effectively.
Target Audience: This workshop will be especially valuable for plant pathologists interested in AI to advance their research and practical applications in plant health.