Gary Bergstrom

Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section

The goal of my research/extension program is to improve the management of crop diseases affecting food grain and forage production systems in New York. Educational programs are aimed at increasing the plant pathology expertise of extension educators and certified crop advisors, and ultimately, field crop producers. I work closely with agronomists, plant breeders, and other plant scientists to evaluate cultural, biological, and chemical disease control strategies as a component of integrated crop management of corn, forage legume, small grain cereal, oilseed, and bioenergy feedstock crops. I also conduct fundamental research on the biology and epidemiology of leaf, spike, and stem diseases of small grain cereals. Topics currently being investigated include: assessment of diseases of small grains, soybean, and corn in New York State; assessment and management of mycotoxin contamination in barley, wheat, and corn production; population biology of Fusarium graminearum; epidemiology and integrated management of Fusarium head blight of wheat and barley; seed health-based systems for managing small grain diseases; Host resistance of switchgrass to pathogens

Interests

Integrated disease management of wheat, corn, soybeans, forage legumes

Recent Research

I work closely with agronomists, plant breeders, and other plant scientists to evaluate cultural, biological, and chemical disease control strategies as a component of integrated crop management of corn, forage legume, small grain cereal, oilseed, and bioenergy feedstock crops. I also conduct fundamental research on the biology, host resistance and epidemiology of leaf, ear, and stem diseases of corn, wheat, and bioenergy feedstock grasses.

Outreach and Extension Focus

Educational programs are aimed at increasing the plant pathology expertise of extension educators and certified crop advisors, and ultimately, field crop producers.

Selected Publications

Kenaley, S. C., Hudler, G. W., & Bergstrom, G. C. (2016). Detection and phylogenetic relationships of Puccinia emaculata and Uromyces graminicola (Pucciniales) on switchgrass in New York State using rDNA sequence information. Fungal Biology. 120:791-806.
Cummings, J. A., & Bergstrom, G. C. (2015). First report of northern stem canker caused by Diaporthe caulivora on soybean in New York. Plant Disease. 99:1284.
Kuhnem, P. R., DelPonte, E. M., Dong, Y., & Bergstrom, G. C. (2015). Fusarium graminearum isolates from wheat and maize in New York show similar range of aggressivesness and toxigenicity in cross-species pathogenicity tests. Phytopathology. 105:441-448.
Kuhnem, P. R., Spolti, P., DelPonte, E. M., Cummings, J. A., & Bergstrom, G. C. (2015). Trichothecene genotype composition of Fusarium graminearum not differentiated among isolates from maize stubble, maize ears, wheat spikes, and the atmosphere in New York. Phytopathology. 105:695-699.
Spolti, P., DelPonte, E. M., Dong, Y., Cummings, J. A., & Bergstrom, G. C. (2014). Assessment of triazole sensitivity in a contemporary population of Fusarium graminearum from New York wheat fields and competitiveness of a tebuconazole-resistant isolate. Plant Disease. 98:607-613.
Spolti, P., DelPonte, E. M., Cummings, J. A., Dong, Y., & Bergstrom, G. C. (2014). Fitness attributes of Fusarium graminearum isolates from wheat in New York possessing a 3-ADON or 15-ADON trichothecene genotype. Phytopathology. 104:513-519.
Cummings, J. A., & Bergstrom, G. C. (2013). First report of charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina in soybean in New York. Plant Disease. 97:1506.
Crane, J. M., Gibson, D. M., Vaughan, R. H., & Bergstrom, G. C. (2013). Iturin levels on wheat spikes linked to biological control of Fusarium head blight by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Phytopathology. 103:146-155.
McMullen, M., Bergstrom, G. C., DeWolf, E., Dill-Macky, R., Hershman, D., Shaner , G., & Van Sanford, D. (2012). A unified effort to fight an enemy of wheat and barley: Fusarium head blight. Plant Disease. 96:1712-1728.
Layton, C. N., & Bergstrom, G. C. (2011). Outbreaks of smut caused by Tilletia maclaganii on switchgrass in New York and Pennsylvania. Plant Disease. 95:1587.

Awards & Honors

Atkinson Faculty Fellow (2011) Cornell Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future

Courses Taught

PLSCI 4990: Independent Undergraduate Research in Plant Science
PLPPM 8900: Master's Level Thesis Research

Contact Information

316 Plant Science Building
Ithaca, NY 14853

(607) 255-7849

gcb3 [at] cornell.edu

Graduate Fields
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology
Education
- Doctorate
  University of Kentucky
  1981
- Master of Science
  Purdue University
  1978
- Bachelor of Science
  Purdue University
  1975

Gary in the news

News

December 17, 2020

Cornell-bred malting barley has a name: Excelsior Gold

Formerly called CU-31, the barley got its name as a result of a contest co-hosted this fall by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Richard Ball, commissioner of Ag and...

Cornell Cooperative Extension
School of Integrative Plant Science
Plant Breeding and Genetics Section

A hand holds a handful of malting barley, pouring it into a grain bag.

News

November 12, 2020

Name that grain: CALS’ barley will boost NYS beer industry

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets are co-hosting a naming contest, Nov. 12 through Dec. 3, for this promising new variety – currently called CU-31. All those...

Cornell AgriTech
Cornell Cooperative Extension
School of Integrative Plant Science

Gary Bergstrom

Contact Information

Graduate Fields

Education

Gary in the news