Speaker: Van Schepler-Luu, Ph.D – International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
The Opening General Session will open with a welcome from the APS President, Karen Garrett. We will then recognize our 2025 Fellows and the Excellence and Named Awardees. Our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Van Schepler-Luu will then give her opening talk.Dr. Van Schepler-Luu is the head of the Plant Pathology and Host Plant Resistance Group at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines. She leads collaborative research efforts with partners from over 20 countries, focusing on rice diseases that pose significant threats to global food security. Her PathoTracer project involves 23 institutions across 20 countries and focuses on the development and application of high-throughput markers for monitoring bacterial blight and blast. She coordinates the International Rice False Smut Consortium (IRFSC), which brings together 25 institutions from 12 countries to address false smut, an increasingly important disease in rice production systems.
Schepler-Luu’s group conducts research on pathogen population dynamics, the identification of disease-resistance genes, and beneficial microbes that enhance rice immunity to biotic stresses. These efforts contribute to improving integrated disease management strategies in rice production.
Before joining IRRI, Van led the rice research team at the University of Düsseldorf, Germany, where she focused on genome editing and rice-bacterial blight pathogen interactions. She obtained her Ph.D. from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany, where her research concentrated on plant defense mechanisms against fungal pathogens and insect herbivores.
APS Sponsoring Committee:None
External Group Support/Co-Organization: Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Working Group.
Description: The proposed session will delve into the critical topic of Rapid 'Ōhiʻa Death (ROD), a complex of two devastating fungal diseases affecting 'Ōhiʻa trees (Metrosideros polymorpha) across Hawai'i. This issue holds significant ecological and cultural relevance, as 'Ōhiʻa trees are keystone species in Hawaii's native forests and carry deep cultural importance for local communities.
Understanding the biology and management of ROD is crucial for developing effective strategies to combat this disease and preserve these vital ecosystems. This session will provide attendees from various countries with a unique opportunity to learn about this Hawaii-specific disease, offering valuable insights applicable to other regions vulnerable to similar threats.
By presenting the latest updates in biological research and interdisciplinary approaches, this symposium aims to foster a deeper understanding of ROD and promote collaborative efforts in managing and mitigating its impact. Attendees will gain comprehensive knowledge of the disease’s biology, the role of invasive species, and the advanced scientific techniques guiding current management practices.
This symposium’s presenters are subject matter experts who will share their contributions to the science of ROD and advancements in disease management. The session will cover various scientific disciplines involved in this multi-faceted issue, including plant pathology, disease resistance, entomology, remote sensing, and forest ecology, as they relate to this critically important disease system.
Plant Health 2025 Theme: Our symposium on Rapid 'Ōhiʻa Death (ROD) aligns well with the Plant Health 2025 theme, "Global Communities Collaborating to Address Global Risks," by tackling a critical plant health threat in Hawaiʻi. By uniting international experts and researchers, the session embodies the collaborative spirit essential for addressing global plant health challenges. We will share cutting-edge research and management strategies applicable to regions facing similar threats, promoting innovative interdisciplinary approaches.
Our talks will focus on a Hawaii-specific novel disease issue, addressing the impacts of this newly introduces invasive species, the deep cultural ties to 'Ōhiʻa trees, and the challenges of biological invasions and biosecurity. Attendees will gain insights into disease resistance strategies, enhancing their understanding and ability to contribute to global plant health solutions.
APS Sponsoring Committee: Diagnosticians
Co-Sponsoring Committees: Disease Surveillance and Pathogen Detection Methods, Emerging Diseases and Pathogens, Extension, Regulatory Plant Pathology
External Group Support/Co-Organization None:
Description: Diagnostic communities play a vital role in safeguarding plant health and mitigating biosecurity threats, and their contributions deserve greater emphasis and recognition. This session explores the crucial importance of diagnostics and the diverse, complementary efforts that form the foundation of plant biosecurity. It highlights the interconnected roles of diagnostic networks, regulatory bodies, and industry in tackling plant health challenges. Key topics include the pivotal work of state laboratories in enhancing early detection and rapid response through a coordinated network of diagnostic facilities, the specialized function of federal laboratories in identifying and managing regulated plant pathogens, and the collaborative framework provided by non-profit organizations in uniting state regulatory agencies. This session will also examine how industry partnerships drive innovation in diagnostic technologies and create opportunities for public-private collaborations. Attendees will also gain insights into career pathways within diagnostics, including the technical, scientific, and regulatory aspects that make this field both impactful and rewarding.
Plant Health 2025 Theme: This session highlights the importance of strong diagnostic networks connecting local, national, and global efforts to address challenges in plant health and biosecurity. It emphasizes the collective responsibility of public and private sectors in reducing plant pathogen risks. Attendees will explore how interconnected diagnostics support a resilient plant health system.
APS Sponsoring Committee: None
External Group Support/Co-Organization: None
Description: The session will be organized/chaired by Frank White, UF, and Jan leach, Colorado State University, and introduce solutions to bacterial diseases of globally important crops involving genome editing technologies and applying basic research knowledge of disease. The first speakers will present robust systems where the applications of genome editing are advanced. The first talk will provide the extensive application of genome editing technologies to resistance to bacterial blight of rice, a disease of Asia and Africa, using basic knowledge of the host-pathogen interaction. Applications of the technologies will also be presented for another global crop, cassava. In the third talk, the prospects for success against the refractile fastidious bacterial pathogen Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus and HLB will be presented. Finally, we will discuss the use of genome editing in tomato and pepper and questions of the barriers and likelihood of applications reaching the field. Two additional short talks will be selected from solicited attendees, one of which is the case of the prospect of improving resistance to bacterial blight of a small farmer cash crop in India, pomegranate. At the end of the session, attendees will understand the basic knowledge that has led to the promise that resistance to disease in globally important crops can be derived from advances in genome editing. The attendees will also gain some insight into the likelihood of success and barriers to deployment in the field.
Plant Health 2025 Theme: The speakers will address global projects addressing food security as well as prospects for enhancements for small scale farmers across geographies.
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