Ashish Adhikari, PhD (he/him/his)
Plant Pathology Department, University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, United States
Jacobo Robledo
Plant Pathology Department, University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, United States
Aaron Isaà Plex Sulá, BS
PhD Student
Plant Pathology Department, Global Food Systems Institute, 3Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
Gainesville, FL, USA
Romaric Armel Mouafo-Tchinda, PhD
PhD
Plant Pathology Department, Global Food Systems Institute, 3Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
GAINESVILLE, Florida, United States
Berea Etherton, PhD
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, United States
Karen A. Garrett, PhD
Preeminent Professor
Plant Pathology Department, Global Food Systems Institute, 3Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
Gainesville, Florida, United States
Rapid decision-making to mitigate pathogens and pests is often needed, but generally in the absence of all the data that would be required for complete assessment. The R2M Plant Health Toolbox is designed to provide input for mitigation strategies, making the most of readily available information and expert knowledge. R2M provides baseline information to characterize a system, to be built on when more time and resources are available to improve system understanding (garrettlab.com/r2m). R2M includes the following tools. (a) Expert knowledge elicitation methods are supported through development of a curated question catalog including question types commonly used to characterize pathosystems. (b) Habitat connectivity analysis, using the R package geohabnet, provides an analysis of likely epidemic networks across regional landscapes, indicating locations that may be important hubs and bridges in epidemic networks. (c) Trade network analysis integrates information about disease observations and trade, to identify risks when biosecurity actions are inadequate. (d) Impact network analysis using the INR R package provides scenario analysis to compare potential outcomes from regional management strategies. We illustrate the application of R2M tools for studying pathosystems such as bacterial spot of tomato (caused by Xanthomonas spp.). R2M baseline analyses can also identify knowledge gaps for future research priorities.