Michailides, Themis J.

Plant Pathology
Kearney Ag. Center, Parlier, 93648
Office Phone: 559-646-6546//209-891-2500//209-891-2546
Fax: 209-891-2513 E-Mail: themis@uckac.edu

Biography

B.S. Agricultural University, Athens, Greece 1973 Agricultural Development
M.S. University of California, Davis 1980 Plant Pathology
Ph.D. University of California, Davis 1987 Plant Pathology

Lab Website

http://www.uckac.edu
http://tjm.uckac.edu

Area of Specialization

Etiology, Etiology, ecology, epidemiology, prediction, and integrated management of above-ground fungal diseases and postharvest diseases of tree fruit and nut crops and vines in San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. Understanding and management of fungicide resistance. Preharvest aflatoxin and ochratoxin contamination in tree nuts (mainly pistachios) and figs. Molecular epidemiology and diagnosis of diseases by conventional and molecular procedures.

Research

We are currently involved in research trying to understand the Alternaria late blight disease of pistachio and develop cultural and chemical control approaches of this disease including fungicide resistance. A major portion of my research is devoted on the biology and life cycle of Botryosphaeria dothidea, the pathogen causing panicle and shoot blight of pistachio; I am also investigating the prediction of Botryosphaeria blight and control of the disease by cultural, chemical, and biological control methods as needed. The spread of this disease by biological factors and the population structure of the pathogens causing tree fruit diseases are also part of my research program. The survival of Monilinia fructicola, prediction of the brown rot disease, and its control by cultural, biological, and chemical means constitute another area of my investigations. A large portion of our research is devoted to the detection of pathogens, such as M. fructicola (stone fruit), B. cinerea (apples, grapes, kiwifruit, & pomegranate), Alternaria alternata (pistachio), B. dothidea (pistachio/almond/walnut and other tree hosts), Phomopsis sp. (almond and persimmon), Aspergillus niger (pistachio, fig, grapes) and A. flavus (pistachio and fig) using conventional and molecular techniques. In addition, we are developing ways to help eliminate aflatoxin contamination in pistachios and figs using atoxigenic A. flavus. In addition to molecular approaches, we are working towards developing practical and simple techniques for the detection of tree fruit, nut crop, and vine pathogens. The study of latent infection and their relationship to predicting diseases in fruit, nut, and vine crops in the field and postharvest are the main focus in my laboratory.

Selected Publications:

Ma, Z., Felts D., Michailides T.J. 2003. Resistance to azoxystrobin in Alternaria isolates from pistachio in California. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 77:66-4.

Ma, Z., Yoshimura, M.A., Michailides, T.J. 2003. Identification and characterization of benzimidazole resistance in Monilinia fructicola from stone fruit orchards in California. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 69:7145-52.

Ma, Z., Luo Y., Michailides T.J. 2004. Spatiotemporal changes in the population structure of Botryosphaeria dothidea from California pistachio orchards. Phytopathology 94:326-32.

Ma, Z., Michailides T.J. 2004. An allele-specific PCR assay for detecting azoxystrobin-resistant Alternaria isolates from pistachio in California. J. Phytopathology 152:118-21.

Ma, Z., and Michailides, T.J.2004. A real-time PCR assay for the detection of azoxystrobin-resistant Alternaria populations from pistachio orchards in California. Crop Protection 23:1259-1263.

Michailides T.J. and Morgan D.P. 2004. Panicle and Shoot Blight of Pistachio: A Major Threat to the Calif. Pistachio Industry, http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/pistachio/.

Ma, Z., M. A. Yoshimura, B. A. Holtz, and T. J. Michailides. 2005. Characterization and PCR-based detection of benzimidazole-resistant isolates of Monilinia laxa in California. Pest Management 61:449-457.

Ma, Z., and T. J. Michailides. 2005. Genetic structure of Botrytis cinerea from different host plants in California. Plant Disease 89:1083-1089.

Ma, Z., and T. J. Michailides. 2005. Advances in understanding molecular mechanisms of fungicide resistance and molecular detection of resistant genotypes in phytopathogenic fungi. Crop Protection 24:853-863.

Luo, Y., T. J. Michailides, D. P. Morgan, W. H. Krueger, and R. P. Buchner. 2005. Inoculum dynamics, fruit infection, and development of brown rot in prune orchards in California. Phytopathology 95:1132-1136.

Michailides T.J., Morgan D.P., Ma, Z., Luo, Y., Felts, D., Doster, M.A., and Reyes, H. 2005. Conventional and molecular assays aid diagnosis of crop diseases and fungicide resistance. California Agriculture 59(2):115-123.

Mila, A., G. F. Driever, D. P. Morgan, and T. J. Michailides. 2005. Effects of latent infection, temperature, precipitation, and irrigation on panicle and shoot blight of pistachio in California. Phytopathology 95:926-932.

Morgan, D. P., and T. J. Michailides. 2005. First report of melting decay of ‘Red Globe’ in California. Plant Disease 88:1047. 9disease note).