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.

View publications on Google Scholar.

Awards & Honors

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

Contact Information

316 Plant Science Building
Ithaca, NY 14853

(607) 255-7849

gcb3 [at] cornell.edu

School & Section
School of Integrative Plant Science
Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section
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

Mark Sorrells in front of small grains field

Spotlight

June 24, 2026

Cornell small grains breeding strengthens local and global food systems

For 12,000 years, wheat has been the bread of life; its discovery sparked the beginnings of agriculture, which enabled human flourishing across the globe. For farmers in New York’s humid climate, growing small grains like wheat, oats, barley and...

Campus Area Farms
Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station
School of Integrative Plant Science

Mark Sorrells, professor of plant breeding and genetics stands in a barley field

News

July 21, 2025

New LakeEffect winter barley offers flurry of benefits for NYS

LakeEffect, the first winter malting barley released by the Cornell Small Grains Breeding Program, produces high yields, is disease resistant and has a good malting profile, researchers in the School of Integrative Plant Science said.

School of Integrative Plant Science
Plant Breeding and Genetics Section
Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section

Gary Bergstrom

Contact Information

School & Section

Graduate Fields

Education

Gary in the news