Christine Smart

Academic appt: 50% research; 40% extension; 10% teaching

Areas of research and extension emphasis:

• Vegetable pathology and disease control specializing in bacterial and oomycete pathogens
• Population genomics, genotypic diversity and effector complement of plant pathogens
• Detection and identification of vegetable pathogens
• Public engagement

Outreach and Extension Focus

Diseases of vegetables cause significant losses to growers in New York and around the world. My lab utilizes genomic tools to understand the diversity of plant pathogen populations. This information is used to identify and track pathogen movement. This information is coupled with applied research on host resistance and efficacy of available control products to provide science-based disease management options for growers.

Vegetable production in New York continues to thrive as we are fortunate to have a climate in which a great diversity of vegetables can be grown, and a knowledgeable and engaged group of growers. The goals of my extension program are two-fold. The first goal is to work with conventional, transitional and organic growers, seed companies, chemical companies and private consultants to improve vegetable disease management while promoting sustainable agricultural practices. My lab focuses primarily on bacterial and oomycete pathogens of vegetables. The second goal is to develop and promote partnerships between Cornell University and elementary school educators and students to increase awareness of agriculture. The two goals are very integrated, as much of my elementary science outreach work is focused on vegetables and nutrition. As the percentage of the population that farms decreases, it is critical to educate the rest of the population about where our food is produced and of the value of agriculture.

• Stack, GM, Toth, JA, Carlson, CH, Cala, AR, Marrero-Gonzalez, MI, Wilk, RL, Gentner, DR, Crawford, JL, Philippe, G, Rose, JKC, Viands, DR, Smart, CD, and Smart LB (2021) Season-long contrast of high-cannabinoid hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivars reveals variation in cannabinoid accumulation, flowering time, and disease resistance. Global Change Biology Bioenergy in press http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12793

• Vogel, GM, LaPlant, KE, Mazourek, M, Gore, MA and Smart, CD (2021) A combined BSA-Seq and linkage mapping approach identifies genomic regions associated with Phytophthora root and crown rot resistance in squash. Theoretical and Applied Genetics in press https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-020-03747-1 

• Peritore-Galve, FC, Tancos, MA and Smart, CD (2021) Bacterial canker of tomato: revisiting a global and economically damaging seedborne pathogen. Plant Disease in press https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-20-1732-FE

• Vogel, GM, Gore, MA, and Smart CD (2021) Genome-wide association study in New York Phytophthora capsici isolates reveals loci involved in mating type and mefenoxam sensitivity. Phytopathology 111:204-216 https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-04-20-0112-FI

• Barnett, SE, Cala, AR, Hansen, JL, Crawford, J, Viands, DR, Smart, LB, Smart, CD, Buckley, DH (2020) Evaluating the microbiome of hemp. Phytobiomes 4:351-363 https://doi.org/10.1094/PBIOMES-06-20-0046-R

• Crowell, CR, Bekauri, MM, Cala, AR, McMullen P, Smart, LB and Smart, CD. (2020) Differential susceptibility of diverse Salix spp. to Melampsora americana and Melampsora paradoxa. Plant Disease 104:2949-2957 https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-20-0718-RE

  LaPlant, KE, Vogel, G, Reeves, E, Smart, CD, and Mazourek, M (2020) Performance and resistance to Phytophthora crown and root rot in squash lines. HortTechnology 30:608-618 https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04636-20

• Weldon, WA, Ullrich, MR, Smart, LB, Smart, CD, Gadoury, DM (2020) Cross infectivity of powdery mildew isolates originating from hemp (Cannabis sativa) and Japanese hop (Humulus japonicus) in New York. Plant Health Progress 21 Jan 2020 https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-09-19-0067-RS

• Peritore-Galve, FC, Miller C, Smart CD. (2020) Characterizing colonization patterns of Clavibacter michiganensis during infection of tolerant wild Solanum species. Phytopathology 110:574-581 https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-09-19-0329-R

• Toth, J, Cala, A, Stack, GM, Wilk, R, Crawford, J, Carlson, CH, Philippe, G, Viands, DR, Smart, CD, Rose, JKC, and Smart, LB. (2020). Development and validation of genetic markers for sex and cannabinoid chemotype in Cannabis sativa L. Global Change Biology Bioenergy 12:213-222 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12667

Presentations and Activities

• Leveraging genomic data to help farmers manage Phytophthora. October 2018. Oregon State University. Corvalis, OR.
• Following sexual and asexual populations of Phytophthora. April 2018. North Carolina State University. Raleigh NC.
• Breeding for downy mildew resistance in cucumber. Cucurbitaceae. October 2014. Bay Harbor, MI.