VSP Team Members
VSP Program Director
VSP Technical Staff
Postdoctorates
Graduate Students
Graduate Interns
Undergraduate Interns
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Program DirectorDr. Lindsey du Toit Lindsey du Toit grew up in the KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa, where she completed her undergraduate education at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg (UNP), in 1991 with a major in plant pathology. While at the UNP, Drs. Mike Wallis, Fritz Rijkenberg, and Mark Laing had a wonderful influence on Lindsey's decision to pursue her education further in plant pathology. Lindsey went on to complete her MS (1995) and PhD (1998) degrees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), majoring in plant pathology. Her PhD dissertation was on field & epidemiological aspects of common smut of sweet corn caused by Ustilago maydis, under the direction of Dr. Jerald Pataky. During her stay in Illinois, Lindsey interned at the Plant Clinic of the UIUC for five growing seasons, supervised by Nancy Pataky. Lindsey's first position out of graduate school was as the diagnostician for the Plant & Insect Diagnostic Lab at the Puyallup Research & Extension Center of Washington State University (WSU) from 1998 to 2000. Lindsey was then hired on as an assistant professor and vegetable seed pathologist for WSU in August 2000, based at the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC. The focus of the vegetable seed pathology research and extension program is on the etiology, biology and management of diseases that affect vegetable seed crops grown in the Pacific Northwest USA. Small-seeded vegetable seed crops such as spinach, brassicas, carrot, onion, radish, and table beet are the focus of Lindsey's program. In 2006, Lindsey was promoted to Associate Professor & Extension Specialist E3. |
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Mike Derie, a native of Idaho, received his M.S. degree in plant science from the University of Idaho in 1989. He worked for 11 years at the WSU-Puyallup Research and Extension Center as a research technician in the vegetable seed pathology program under Dr. Gabrielson, where he focused on detection and control of black rot in crucifer seed. Mike joined the vegetable pathology program at Mount Vernon in 1997, with responsibility for carrying out laboratory-based research, making disease diagnoses, and helping prepare manuscripts. In March 2001, Mike joined the vegetable seed pathology program at the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC. Mike is responsible for carrying out lab, field, and greenhouse trials on diseases of vegetable seed crops in Washington. Mike also isolates, and helps identify and maintain many vegetable pathogens. In 2006, Mike celebrated his 20th year with WSU! In 2007, Mike was promoted to Scientific Assistant in the vegetable seed pathology program. In 2009, Mike Derie received the Administrative Professional Staff Excellence Award for the WSU College of Agricultural, Human, & Natural Resource Sciences! |
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Louise Brissey was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University on the San Luis Obispo campus in 1972 with a B.S. degree in agriculture, majoring in ornamental horticulture. Louise has worked in an ornamental tissue culture lab in Skagit Co., and as assistant plant breeder for a flower seed company in CA. Louise worked in a time-slip position for the WSU Vegetable Seed Pathology (VSP) program for several years before she was hired on by the VSP program as an Ag. Research Tech. II in April 2005. Louise's focus is on seed health assays and germination assays, but she assists with an array of lab, field, and greenhouse projects on diseases affecting vegetable seed crops. Louise is an avid gardener and is very involved in the Salal Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society. |
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Barbara Holmes Barbara Holmes was born and raised in Ontario, Canada, but has lived in Mount Vernon, WA since 1974, where she raised her family and worked in many of the local nurseries and greenhouses. Barbara started working for the Vegetable Seed Pathology program as a temporary employee. In August 2008, Barbara was hired on as a permanent employee in the VSP program as Agricultural Research Technician I. Barbara assists with a wide diversity of field, greenhouse, and lab trials on diseases of vegetable and vegetable seed crops. |
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Martin Chilvers Martin Chilvers grew up in Tasmania, Australia, where he received a B.S. degree in agriculture, with honors in plant pathology (1998), from the University of Tasmania. In 2003, Martin received a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the University of Tasmania under Drs. Frank Hay and Calum Wilson. His PhD dissertation was entitled "Epidemiology of Botrytis spp. associated with neck rot of onion in northern Tasmania, Australia." In December 2003, Martin took a research associate position at Washington State University co-supervised by Drs. Lindsey du Toit and Tobin Peever in Pullman, WA. The project was focused on development of a real-time quantitative PCR assay for detection of neck rot Botrytis spp. associated with onion seed. Martin worked as a research associate for Dr. Tobin Peever from 2005-2007 at WSU, investigating various aspects of Ascochyta (Didymella) host specificity, epidemiology and genetics on chickpea. In 2007-08, Martin worked with Dr. Weidong Chen at the USDA ARS on the WSU Pullman campus, on Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in chickpea. In 2008, Marty moved to Michigan State University. Publications from postdoctorate: Chilvers, M.I., and du Toit L.J. 2006. Detection and identification of Botrytis species associated with neck rot, scape blight, and umbel blight of onion. Plant Health Progress: doi:10.1094/PHP-2006-1127-01-DG. Chilvers, M.I., du Toit, L.J., and Peever, T.L. 2005. RFLP differentiation of neck rot Botrytis spp. present in onion seed crops in Washington State, and development of a real-time PCR assay for detection of these fungi in onion seed. 23rd Fungal Genetics Conference, 15-20 March 2005, Pacific Grove, CA. |
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| Ana Vida Alcala, Emily Gatch, Leigh Ann Harrison, Jaime Cummings, Pablo Hernandez-Perez | |
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Ana Vida Alcala Ana Vida was born and raised in a small town in the Philippines. Being in an agricultural country, she decided to pursue a BS degree in agriculture followed by an MS in Plant Pathology from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños. Avi worked particularly on the control of a postharvest disease caused by Colletotricum gloeosporioides on mango (Mangifera indica) for her Master's thesis. Afterwards, Avi pursued a career in research working on biological control of soilborne diseases of vegetables in the tropics, and management of postharvest diseases of paddy rice at the Philippine Rice Research Institute. Avi's desire to further equip herself in her chosen field of study led her to go back to university for a PhD degree. Ana Vida started her PhD program in the WSU Dept. of Plant Pathology in January 2009, with her research project based out of the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC where she is working with Dr. Lindsey du Toit on evaluation of seed and drench treatments for organic vegetable production in the Pacific Northwest. |
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Emily Gatch Emily Gatch grew up on a farm in eastern Iowa, and had an early introduction to the world of seed through summer jobs detassling corn and working for a prairie seed company. Emily obtained a B.S. in biology from Harvard University, followed by an M.S. in plant pathology at Iowa State University in the lab of Dr. Gary Munkvold. Emily's thesis project examined the interaction of Bt corn hybrids and stalk rot, caused by a complex of fungal pathogens that includes several species of Fusarium. After finishing her degree in 2001, Emily worked for three years as a research associate at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center, reporting to both the horticulturalist and plant pathologist in the vegetable crops division. This exposure to crops such as tomatoes, snap beans, summer squash and pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and southern peas was a revelation for Emily, who became a specialty-crops devotee and pursued this interest to the far reaches of New Mexico, where she accepted a position as greenhouse and pathology coordinator at the research farm of Seeds of Change, an organic vegetable, herb, and flower seed company. In her efforts to assess and manage seedborne disease challenges for the company, Emily became aware of the research program of Dr. Lindsey du Toit, and joined Lindsey's her lab at the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC as a Ph.D student in August 2008, investigating management strategies for control of Fusarium wilt in spinach seed crops. Publications from PhD program:
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Leigh Ann Harrison Leigh Ann was born in Odessa, TX, and lived in TX for 10 years, in France for 2 years, and in South Carolina for 12 years. In May 2004, Leigh Ann received a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences at Clemson University in Clemson, SC, where she earned four varsity letters as a member of the Lady Tiger soccer team. As an undergraduate in 2002, Leigh Ann was a member of the Cornell University Food Science Scholar Program under the supervision of Dr. Dennis Miller, in which she worked on a project assessing bioavailability of iron powders intended for bread fortification. Leigh Ann's undergraduate senior research project at Clemson, with Drs. Steve Jeffers and Melissa Riley, dealt with analyzing and developing fatty acid methyl ester profiles for Phytophthora cactorum. From July 2004 to October 2006, Leigh Ann did an MS degree in the WSU Department of Plant Pathology under the supervision of Dr. Tim Murray. Leigh Ann's MS project was on the epidemiology of Wheat streak mosaic virus in perennial wheat, and screening for potential resistance to the virus in perennial wheat lines. Leigh Ann started a PhD degree in the same department in spring 2007 with Dr. Lindsey du Toit's program. Leigh Ann's PhD dissertation research was on management of Fusarium wilt in spinach seed production. In September 2007, Leigh Ann transferred to a PhD program at Virginia Tech. |
Jaime Cummings Jaime was born in Binghamton, NY, and lived in NY for 20 years. Jaime attended Broome Community College to earn an A.S. degree in December 2002, with a focus on biology/chemistry. Jaime then attended the State University of West Georgia, where she completed courses towards her A.S., and focused on Spanish language studies. Jaime attended school in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico for the summer of 2000-2001 - Jaime has completed 6 years of Spanish in high school, and 12 credits of Spanish at university level! She then earned a BS degree in wildlife biology/environmental forest biology in May 2004 from State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY. In 2004, Jaime ventured to the Amazon rainforest of Brasil to work on a tropical wildlife research project, followed by a position as research assistant on a small mammal research project at Virginia Tech, WV. Jaime worked as an outdoor environmental educator/naturalist, teaching biology and ecology courses to adults and children in 2004-2005. This was followed by a position in VA as a research assistant on a ground-nesting waterfowl research project for the College of William and Mary in 2005. Jaime completed her MS degree in the WSU Department of Plant Pathology from July 2005 to December 2007, working in Lindsey du Toit's vegetable seed pathology program for her thesis project. Jaime worked for Dr. Carol Miles in the vegetable horticulture program at the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC in the spring and summer of 2008. In fall 2008, Jaime accepted a position as a soybean pathologist at the St. Louis, MO headquarters for Monsanto. Publications from MS program: du Toit, L.J., Derie, M.L., Brissey, L.M., & Cummings, J.A. 2007. Evaluation of limestone amendments for control of Fusarium wilt in a spinach seed crop, 2006. Plant Disease Management Reports 1:V091. |
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2002 - 2005 MS thesis: Management of seedborne Stemphylium botryosum and Cladosporium variabile causing leaf spot of spinach seed crops in western Washington. Pablo H. Palmández (previously Pablo Hernández Pérez) was born in Nayarit, Mexico. In 1990, he graduated from Universidad Autónoma Chapingo (Mexico), where he studied the equivalent of a B.S. in agronomy with an emphasis in agricultural parasitology. His undergraduate thesis was titled: Exploración competitiva entre la maleza y el cultivo del rabanito (Raphanus sativus minor L.) en Chapingo, Mexico (Study of competition between weeds and radishes (Raphanus sativus minor L.) in Chapingo, Mexico). Pablo studied English as a second language in Los Angeles, CA and in Yakima, Washington. In 1994, Pablo received a contract from the Plant Health Headquarters of the National Health, Food Safety and Quality Service of Mexico. He was sent to Washington State in 1995 by the Plant Health Headquarters to oversee adherence to the Work Plan for Apple Exportation from the United State to Mexico. In 1998, Pablo was contracted to work with the Washington State Horticultural Association as Scouting Coordinator for the Washington Pear IPM Project. Pablo received an M.S. degree in plant pathology from Washington State University in 2005 under the supervision of Dr. Lindsey du Toit. His M.S. thesis was entitled: Management of seedborne Stemphylium botryosum and Cladosporium variabile causing leaf spot of spinach seed crops in Western Washington. Pablo is a certified Spanish/English interpreter in Washington. He participated in the Spanish translation of the Orchard Monitoring Manual for Pests, Natural Enemies, and Diseases of Apple, Pear and Cherry, an illustrated guide for Washington State, compiled by Naná Simone. Pablo worked in insect genetics at the USDA ARS Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory in Wapato, WA, and then accepted a position with the USDA APHIS at the Port of Seattle, WA in 2007. Publications from MS program: du Toit, L.J., Derie, M.L., and Hernandez-Perez, P. 2005. Verticillium wilt in spinach seed production. Plant Disease 89:4-11. du Toit, L.J., and Hernandez-Perez, P. 2005. Efficacy of hot water and chlorine for eradication of Cladosporium variabile, Stemphylium botryosum, and Verticillium dahliae from spinach seed. Plant Disease 89:1305-1312. du Toit, L.J., Derie, M.L., and Hernandez-Perez, P. 2005. Evaluation of fungicides for control of leaf spot in spinach seed crops, 2004. Fungicide & Nematicide Tests 60:V044. du Toit, L.J., Derie, M.L., and Hernandez-Perez, P. 2005. Evaluation of yield loss caused by leaf spot fungi in spinach seed crops, 2004. Fungicide & Nematicide Tests 60:V047. du Toit, L.J., Derie, M.L., and Hernandez-Perez, P. 2004. Evaluation of fungicides for control of leaf spot in spinach seed crops, 2003. Fungicide & Nematicide Tests 59:V115. |
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Megan Twomey, Washington State University Megan Twomey completed an internship with the WSU Vegetable Seed Pathology program in the summer of 2008, while working on her MS degree in biology from Western Washington University with a focus on molecular biology. Megan's MS thesis work involved isolating and characterizing a cDNA encoding a proline-rich protein involved in pollen tube growth and self-incompatibility. Megan was interested in working in the VSP program to gain experience in an applied research program. As a result of her work with the VSP program, Megan developed an interest in plant pathology. She began a career with Hopsteiner, SS Steiner Inc. in Yakima, WA in spring 2009. She is involved in research on screening hop populations for disease resistance for crop improvement, as well as development of new medicinal products from hops using a systems biology approach. Publications from this internship: |
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Katie Reed, Washington State University Katie Reed began working in the Vegetable Seed Pathology program at the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC in the summer of 2009. Katie grew up in Burlington Edison where she has been an active member in the community. Katie worked as an intern for Skagit Wholesale Nursery and helped out in the fall at Merrits Apple Orchard. Her interest in plants first sprouted as she became involved in FFA through the Horticulture Team at Burlington Edison High School, where in her final year their team won the state award. During her senior year of high school, Katie did a one-day Job Shadow in Dr. Lindsey du Toit's Vegetable Seed Pathology program, where she was introduced to the field of plant pathology. Katie then followed her interest for plants to Washington State University, where she is pursuing a B.S. in Crop Science, and plans to follow this with an M.S. in plant pathology. During her freshman year at WSU, Katie worked alongside Dr. Pat Okubara, USDA ARS, extracting DNA from soil samples, and Dr. Lori Carris, WSU mycologist, identifying fungi she had isolated from spinach plants. Katie's opportunity to work in these labs as well as Dr. du Toit's lab this summer is part of a WSU Translational Internship she received from WSU Associate Dean, Dr. Kim Kidwell, to expose undergraduate students to research labs. Katie has always had an interest in a wide variety of fields in agriculture. Katie is pleased to help out in the Vegetable Seed Pathology program this summer and gain more knowledge of agriculture in the Skagit Valley. |
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Cynthia Hansen, Western Washington University Cynthia Hansen grew up in Bozeman, Montana and Fort Collins, Colorado. Having left the hot, dry summers of the Rocky Mountain west for the more temperate climate of Bellingham, Cynthia completed her senior year at Western Washington University in fall 2007, with a BS in Cellular Molecular Biology/ Biochemistry. Cynthia completed an internship with the WSU Vegetable Seed Pathology program in the summer of 2007, and expressed interest in continuing her studies with a graduate degree in plant sciences. |
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Alyse Douglas, Western Washington University Alyse was born in 1986 and raised in North Bend, Washington, where she attended Mount Si High School. Alyse also lived in California and Hawaii. Alyse graduated in 2007 at Western Washington University (WWU) where she earned a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology, with a minor in Chemistry. Alyse spent two years doing organic chemistry research with Dr. Kriz at WWU, and completed a year as a Fellow Scientist for the GK-12 Catalysts for Reform project, where she helped create and implement an enquiry-based 6th grade science curriculum at Nooksack Valley Middle School. Alyse completed an internship at WWU in conjunction with the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC, under the co-supervision of Dr. Marion Brodhagon (WWU molecular biologist), Dr. Lindsey du Toit (WSU vegetable seed pathologist), and Mike Derie (WSU agricultural research technologist). The internship project was on developing a quantitative molecular detection assay for Xanthomonas campestris pv. carotae, causal agent of bacterial blight of carrot, that differentiates DNA from viable (live) vs. nonviable (dead) cells of the pathogen. The internship was funded by the California Fresh Carrot Advisory Board. Alyse plans to continue with a graduate education in infectious disease and eventually practice medicine. |
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Jules Riske, Evergreen State College (spring 2007 intern) Jules Riske grew up in rural Northern California, and now lives in Rockport, Washington in Eastern Skagit Co. At home with rough mountains and river canyons, she never thought about farming until she discovered the luscious, fertile Skagit River Valley. Having grown up in her father's multi-acre garden and orchard, farming was as comfortable as an old pair of Carhartts. Jules studied at the Evergreen State College, and graduated with a degree in Ecological Agriculture in 2007. She interned and now works for Anne Schwartz, owner of Blue Heron Farm and Nursery in Rockport, WA. Jules serves on the board of the Tilth Producers of Washington, and when in the Skagit, she serves as secretary for the Sedro-Woolley Farmers Market board. Jules completed an 8-week internship in the Vegetable Seed Pathology program at the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC during April and May 2007, assisting with field, greenhouse, and lab research on vegetable seed crop diseases. |
Coen de Jong, Van Hall Institute in Leeuwaarden, Nicolaas Coen de Jong was born in Zuidbroek, the Netherlands, where his parents raise spinach stock seed in a greenhouse. Coen graduated from high school in 2005, and started college that year at the Van Hall Larenstein Institute, an agricultural college in the city of Leeuwaarden, the Netherlands. At the end of his first year of college, Coen completed a 10 week internship at Pop Vriend Seeds B.V. in Andijk, the Netherlands, where he worked primarily on parental lines in spinach seed production. Coen likes to work in his spare time, and has spent 5 years working part-time at Aardse Orchids B.V., a company that produces orchids in greenhouses. Coen completed a 9 week internship in the Vegetable Seed Pathology program at the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC in the fall of 2006, assisting with field, greenhouse, and lab research on vegetable seed crop diseases. |
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Blair Baber, Western Washington University Blair Baber graduated from Western Washington University in December of 2006. At Western, he earned a B.S. degree in cellular biology with a minor in chemistry. As part of Blair's degree, he completed an internship in the WSU vegetable seed pathology (VSP) program from June to November 2005. His main contribution in the VSP program was providing lab assistance for the onion Iris Yellow Spot Virus and carrot seed bacterial blight studies. Currently, Blair is working for US Biotek Laboratories in North Seattle as a lab technician. US BioTek uses ELISA (Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay) methods to identify and quantify IgG and IgE antibodies in human responses to foods, inhalants, herbs and spices. |
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Michael Picha, WSU (summer 2001 intern) Michael Picha grew-up in Burlington, WA, and graduated from Washington State University in 2004 with a B.S. degree in Crop Science (specialty in turf management). Michael completed an internship in the WSU vegetable seed pathology program in the summer of 2001, during which time he took responsibility for a fungicide trial for control of Stemphylium and Cladosporium leaf spots in spinach seed crops. After graduation from WSU, Michael worked as Assistant Superintendent at the Glacier Club Golf Course in Durango, Colorado. Michael held various golf course construction jobs before serving as a volunteer in Ecuador where he participated in an ecological project to clean up an old dump site. He then returned to western Washington to work in the vineyard at Mt. Baker Winery in Everson, WA. |
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