IRES in Tropical Plant Pathology with NC State University and the Universidad de Costa Rica

这一国际学生研究经验奖(IRES)支持学生参与哥斯达黎加的热带植物病理学研究。一群不同的美国本科生和研究生将对马铃薯晚疫病菌、可可豆黑荚疫霉和香蕉黑斑病进行研究。具体地说，学生将对疫霉样本进行微卫星分析，计算疫霉物种的丰富度和多样性，并评估菲律宾疫霉产生的光激活毒素。研究生和本科生将与哥斯达黎加大学的植物病理学家结对工作，其中包括费利佩·阿劳兹博士、莫妮卡·布兰科博士和路易斯·戈麦斯博士。学生们还将在多尔的里奥弗里奥农场和CATIE热带农业研究和高等教育中心接受研究人员的指导。在研究体验之前，学生将学习热带植物病理学课程，其中包括在可可、香蕉、菠萝、热带根茎作物、花卉栽培和甘蔗田的实地学习经验。这个为期五周的暑期研究体验将使学生能够解决与热带作物的重要经济疾病相关的现实世界问题。学生将有机会向广泛的社区介绍他们的数据，其中包括哥斯达黎加大学、北卡罗来纳州立大学的硕士学生研讨会、卵菌分子遗传学网络，以及包括世界可可基金会和多尔食品在内的主要行业组织。学生还将有机会在秋季学期通过自主学习继续他们的研究。

This International Research Experience for Students (IRES) award supports student engagement in tropical plant pathology research in Costa Rica. A diverse group of U.S. undergraduate and graduate students will conduct research on late blight of potato caused by Phytophthora infestans, black pod of cacao caused by Phytophthora species, and black Sigatoka disease of banana caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis. Specifically, students will conduct microsatellite analysis of Phytophthora samples, calculate Phytophthora species abundance and diversity, and assess the production of light-activated toxins by M. fijiensis. Graduate and undergraduate students will work in pairs with plant pathologists at the Universidad de Costa Rica, including Dr. Felipe Arauz, Dr. Monica Blanco, and Dr. Luis Gomez. Students will also be mentored by researchers at Dole's Rio Frio Farm and CATIE -Tropical Agriculture Research and Higher Education Center. Prior to the research experience, students will take a course in Tropical Plant Pathology that includes field-based learning experiences in cacao, banana, pineapple, tropical root crops, floriculture, and sugarcane fields. This five-week summer research experience will allow students to solve real-world problems connected to economically important diseases of tropical crops. Students will have the opportunity to present their data to a broad community that includes the Universidad de Costa Rica, a Master's student symposium at NC State, the Oomycete Molecular Genetics Network, and major industry groups including the World Cocoa Foundation and Dole Foods. Students will also have the opportunity to continue their research through independent studies in the fall semester.