Progress 03/01/23 to 02/29/24
Outputs
Target Audience: Researchers within the scientific community, specifically those with interests pertaining to field studies, biological control, tree fruit crops, antibiotic resistance development, plant bacterial diseases, cucurbit crops, oomycete population diversity, and related areas of interest. Growers, extension educators, and industry personnel who are involved with cucurbit crop production and other crops that are impacted by the same or similar oomycete pathogens. Undergraduate students at Michigan State University who are interested in developing skillsets in laboratory and field techniques. Changes/Problems:Just prior to joining the Hausbeck laboratory, the incubator where all past collections for the pathogen that Dr. Klein-Gordon planned to work with for a majority of the project collapsed and most of the collection was lost. At the beginning of the project, Dr. Klein-Gordon attempted to sort through remaining storage tubes and test viability of a subset of isolates. Due to a low recovery rate, and minimal collection numbers, Dr. Klein-Gordon, with the support of her mentor, determined it would be best to forego using previous collections and instead start a new pathogen collection for the current year and use this for characterization. This would also provide growers with the most up to date information for pathogen populations and provide Dr. Klein-Gordon an opportunity to select isolates from a wider range of growers and crops within a single season than was previously done in the laboratory group. Disease symptoms for the pathogen of interest did not begin to appear until mid-July, so in those few months, Dr. Klein-Gordon (1) further planned out the modified project and learned how to work with the new pathogen system in the laboratory; (2) analyzed data, wrote a manuscript, and submitted it for publication in her field's premier journal from her Honors Undergraduate Thesis project data, which helped her secure a permanent Research Plant Pathologist position with the USDA Agricultural Research Services as it was directly related to the position she was being considered for; (3) analyzed data and crafted a poster from an unfinished side project from her PhD research for the American Phytopathological Society's national conference, which allowed her to present while in attendance; (4) aided her mentor, Dr. Hausbeck, with drafting and coordinating a USDA Specialty Crop Block grant proposal her mentor was leading, which allowed Dr. Klein-Gordon to hone her grant writing skills, build her knowledge about a new pathogen-host system, and expand her professional network. Pathogen collection, isolation, and confirmation demanded more funds from the budget be utilized for supplies than was originally allotted for and that she use most of the funds originally allotted for an undergraduate fellow in the second year for aid from undergraduate students and technicians in the first project year. Klein-Gordon was only able to collect, isolate, store, and begin completing initial pathogen characterization due to this change in schedule and need to terminate fellowship earlier due to a permanent job opportunity. Data generated from the main proposed project is thus limited, but Dr. Klein-Gordon intends to collaborate with her project mentor to secure new funds for her mentor's group to continue working with the collection to deliver useful information to growers, and Dr. Klein-Gordon was still able to gain valuable experiences and spend time on previous projects that allowed her to generate products and meet some of her original project goals. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Dr. Klein-Gordon gained valuable skills and knowledge working with pathogen and host systems that she had not worked on previously, which better equips her for the wide range of agricultural issues that Dr. Klein-Gordon will likely need to have knowledge on, or aid with addressing, throughout her career. Dr. Klein-Gordon also gained experience with writing and collaborating in the proposal stages on a larger multi-million-dollar grant with a diverse team of agricultural researchers, which will be helpful as she will likely need to do this throughout her career as a researcher. Dr. Klein-Gordon attended the American Phytopathological Society's national conference, where Dr. Klein-Gordon expanded her professional network and further honed her presentation skills. Dr. Klein-Gordon attended two formal professional development workshops at Michigan State University, including 'Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue' and 'Creating and Sustaining a Positive Workplace', which better prepared her for a successful career as a leader in the agricultural sciences. These workshops allowed Dr. Klein-Gordon to assess her own experiences, and hear about hypothetical experiences, strategizing the most effective approaches to solving people-related issues or concerns that arise within the workplace and ensure a positive work environment that accommodates a wide range of needs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dr. Klein-Gordon informed Michigan vegetable extension educators about project updates, who speak directly to growers, about project progress, during weekly Michigan State University vegetable extension group Zoom meetings. Results from previously outlined goals were not generated, so results could not be disseminated to grower communities. The results from other projects Dr. Klein-Gordon worked to complete from prior research during the fellowship time period were disseminated via a publication in a top plant pathology research journal and a poster presentation at a national plant pathology conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Dr. Klein-Gordon conducted a new survey of Phytophthora blight populations in Michigan cucurbits (please see 'Changes/Problems' section for more details as to why the project was modified), isolated and stored these isolates, and began initial characterizations, including molecular confirmation of pathogen species identity and pathogen mating type. Dr. Klein-Gordon was unable to utilize recent Hausbeck Phytophthora collections for studies due to a laboratory loss of historical collections. Due to this unforeseen complication to the project, Dr. Klein-Gordon was unable to begin parts (2) and (3) of the first specified goal, as there were no prior isolates for screening chemical control strategies and therefore no applicable data was generated for developing extension materials for growers. Dr. Klein-Gordon trained three students, two of which she directly supervised, in plant pathology techniques. One student was interested in applying for graduate school, so Dr. Klein-Gordon mentored the student on this process and provided advice. Dr. Klein-Gordon was also able to mentor some of the other undergraduate students and graduate students in the Hausbeck group on graduate school, professional networking and development, and parts of their projects that aligned with her expertise.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Klein-Gordon, J. M., Johnson, K. B., Loper, J. E., Stockwell, V. O. 2023. Contribution of native plasmids of Pantoea vagans C9-1 to epiphytic fitness and fire blight management on apple and pear flowers and fruits. Phytopathology. DOI: 10.1094/PHYTO-04-23-0144-SA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Klein-Gordon, J. M., Minsavage, G. V., Jones, J. B., Goss, E. M., Vallad, G. E. 2023. Multiple streptomycin resistance mechanisms identified in the Florida Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. perforans population. Plant Health 2023.
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Progress 03/01/23 to 12/19/23
Outputs
Target Audience: The PD, who is a postdoctoral researcher in the agricultural sciences, who is interested in gaining new professional development opportunities that will help her be more successful inher future career as a leader in the agricultural sciences. Researchers within the scientific community, specifically those with interests pertaining to field studies, biological control, tree fruit crops, antibiotic resistance development, plant bacterial diseases, cucurbit crops, oomycete population diversity, and related areas of interest. Growers, extension educators, and industry personnel who are involved with cucurbit crop production and other crops that are impacted by the same or similar oomycete pathogens. Undergraduate students at Michigan State University who are interested in developing skillsets in laboratory and field techniques. Changes/Problems:Just prior to joining the Hausbeck laboratory, the incubator where all past collections for the pathogen that Dr. Klein-Gordon planned to work with for a majority of the project collapsed and most of the collection was lost. At the beginning of the project, Dr. Klein-Gordon attempted to sort through remaining storage tubes and test viability of a subset of isolates. Due to a low recovery rate, and minimal collection numbers, Dr. Klein-Gordon, with the support of her mentor, determined it would be best to forego using previous collections and instead start a new pathogen collection for the current year and use this for characterization. This would also provide growers with the most up to date information for pathogen populations and provide Dr. Klein-Gordon an opportunity to select isolates from a wider range of growers and crops within a single season than was previously done in the laboratory group. Disease symptoms for the pathogen of interest did not begin to appear until mid- July, so in those few months, Dr. Klein-Gordon (1) further planned out the modified project and learned how to work with the new pathogen system in the laboratory; (2) analyzed data, wrote a manuscript, and submitted it for publication in her field's premier journal from her Honors Undergraduate Thesis project data, which helped her secure a permanent Research Plant Pathologist position with the USDA Agricultural Research Services as it was directly related to the position she was being considered for; (3) analyzed data and crafted a poster from an unfinished side project from her PhD research for the American Phytopathological Society's national conference, which allowed her to present while in attendance; (4) aided her mentor, Dr. Hausbeck, with drafting and coordinating a USDA Specialty Crop Block grant proposal her mentor was leading, which allowed Dr. Klein-Gordon to hone her grant writing skills, build her knowledge about a new pathogen-host system, and expand her professional network. Pathogen collection, isolation, and confirmation demanded more funds from the budget be utilized for supplies than was originally allotted for and that she use most of the funds originally allotted for an undergraduate fellow in the second year for aid from undergraduate students and technicians in the first project year. Klein-Gordon was only able to collect, isolate, store, and begin completing initial pathogen characterization due to this change in schedule and need to terminate fellowship earlier due to a permanent job opportunity. Data generated from the main proposed project is thus limited, but Dr. Klein-Gordon intends to collaborate with her project mentor to secure new funds for her mentor's group to continue working with the collection to deliver useful information to growers, and Dr. Klein-Gordon was still able to gain valuable experiences and spend time on previous projects that allowed her to generate products and meet some of her original project goals. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Dr. Klein-Gordon gained valuable skills and knowledge working with pathogen and host systems that she had not worked on previously, which better equips her for the wide range of agricultural issues that Dr. Klein-Gordon will likely need to have knowledge on, or aid with addressing, throughout her career. Dr. Klein-Gordon also gained experience with writing and collaborating in the proposal stages on a larger multi-million-dollar grant with a diverse team of agricultural researchers, which will be helpful as she will likely need to do this throughout her career as a researcher. Dr. Klein-Gordon attended the American Phytopathological Society's national conference, where Dr. Klein-Gordon expanded her professional network and further honed her presentation skills. Dr. Klein-Gordon attended two formal professional development workshops at Michigan State University, including 'Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue' and 'Creating and Sustaining a Positive Workplace', which better prepared her for a successful career as a leader in the agricultural sciences. These workshops allowed Dr. Klein-Gordon to assess her own experiences, and hear about hypothetical experiences, strategizing the most effective approaches to solving people-related issues or concerns that arise within the workplace and ensure a positive work environment that accommodates a wide range of needs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dr. Klein-Gordon informed Michigan vegetable extension educators about project updates, who speak directly to growers, about project progress, during weekly Michigan State University vegetable extension group Zoom meetings. Results from previously outlined goals were not generated, so results could not be disseminated to grower communities. The results from other projects Dr. Klein-Gordon worked to complete from prior research during the fellowship time period were disseminated via a publication in a top plant pathology research journal and a poster presentation at a national plant pathology conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Dr. Klein-Gordon conducted a new survey of Phytophthora blight populations in Michigan cucurbits (please see 'Changes/Problems' section for more details as to why the project was modified), isolated and stored these isolates, and began initial characterizations, including molecular confirmation of pathogen species identity and pathogen mating type. Dr. Klein-Gordon was unable to utilize recent Hausbeck Phytophthora collections for studies due to a laboratory loss of historical collections. Due to this unforeseen complication to the project, Dr. Klein-Gordon was unable to begin parts (2) and (3) of the first specified goal, as there were no prior isolates for screening chemical control strategies and therefore no applicable data was generated for developing extension materials for growers. Dr. Klein-Gordon trained three students, two of which she directly supervised, in plant pathology techniques. One student was interested in applying for graduate school, so Dr. Klein-Gordon mentored the student on this process and provided advice. Dr. Klein-Gordon was also able to mentor some of the other undergraduate students and graduate students in the Hausbeck group on graduate school, professional networking and development, and parts of their projects that aligned with her expertise.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Klein-Gordon, J. M., Johnson, K. B., Loper, J. E., Stockwell, V. O. 2023. Contribution of native plasmids of Pantoea
vagans C9-1 to epiphytic fitness and fire blight management on apple and pear flowers and fruits. Phytopathology. DOI:
10.1094/PHYTO-04-23-0144-SA
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Klein-Gordon, J. M., Minsavage, G. V., Jones, J. B., Goss, E. M., Vallad, G. E. 2023. Multiple streptomycin resistance
mechanisms identified in the Florida Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. perforans population. Plant Health 2023.
|