Gary Bergstrom
Professor Emeritus, 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
Contact Information
316 Plant Science Building
Ithaca, NY 14853
gcb3 [at] cornell.edu
School & Section
School of Integrative Plant Science
Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology SectionGraduate Fields
Education
- Doctorate
University of Kentucky
1981
- Master of Science
Purdue University
1978
- Bachelor of Science
Purdue University
1975
- Doctorate
Gary in the news
News
Farmers, brewers, distillers and researchers gathered for the sixth annual Empire State Barley and Malt Summit, to celebrate successes and plan for the future of New York’s growing craft brewery and distillery industries.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension
- Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station
- School of Integrative Plant Science
News
- Cornell AgriTech
- Cornell Botanic Gardens
- Animal Science