Agriculture

Summary measures of predictive power associated with logistic regression models of disease risk

For an ordinary least squares regression model, the coefficient of determination R2 describes the proportion (or percentage) of variance of the response variable explained by the model, and is a widely-accepted summary measure of predictive power. A …

Miami Mango Ratings

Full analysis here Mangos are grown widely in South Florida, but only a few varieties ever make it north, because they don’t really ship well and there isn’t a huge market. I ended up receiving some rare varieties from a collaborator down south, and I wanted to know how they ranked one to another, so my wife and I rated the different varieties. The Data My wife and I rated the mangoes over the course of about a week, tasting the different varieties as they felt more and more ripe.

Climate change, carbon dioxide, and pest biology, managing the future: coffee as a case study

The challenge of maintaining sufficient food, feed, fiber, and forests, for a projected end of century population of between 9–10 billion in the context of a climate averaging 2–4 °C warmer, is a global imperative. However, climate change is likely …

Network analysis: a systems framework to address grand challenges in plant pathology

Plant pathology must address a number of challenges, most of which are characterized by complexity. Network analysis offers useful tools for addressing complex systems and an opportunity for synthesis within plant pathology and between it and …

A framework for optimizing phytosanitary thresholds in seed systems

Seedborne pathogens and pests limit production in many agricultural systems. Quarantine programs help reduce the introduction of exotic pathogens into a country, but few regulations directly apply to reducing the re-introduction and spread of …

Laurel wilt in natural and agricultural ecosystems: understanding the drivers and scales of complex pathosystems

Laurel wilt kills members of the Lauraceae plant family in the southeastern United States. It is caused by *Raffaelea lauricola* T.C. Harr., Fraedrich and Aghayeva, a nutritional fungal symbiont of an invasive Asian ambrosia beetle, *Xyleborus …

Spatiotemporal patterns in the airborne dispersal of spinach downy mildew

Downy mildew is the most devastating disease threatening sustainable spinach production, particularly in the organic sector. The disease is caused by the biotrophic oomycete pathogen *Peronospora effusa*, and the disease results in yellow lesions …

Season-long dynamics of spinach downy mildew determined by spore trapping and disease incidence

*Peronospora effusa* is an obligate oomycete that causes downy mildew of spinach. Downy mildew threatens sustainable production of fresh market organic spinach in California, and routine fungicide sprays are often necessary for conventional …

First report of Cytospora punicae causing wood canker and branch dieback of pomegranate (Punica granatum) in the United States

Pomegranates (*Punica granatum* L.) are an expanding industry in the United States with California growing approximately 32,000 acres with a crop value of over $155 million (1). During June and July of 2012, we observed severe limb and branch dieback …

First report of Diplodia seriata causing pear branch canker dieback in California

California produces 26% of the United States pear crop on approximately 5,600 ha. A survey of seven northern California pear orchards (Pyrus communis cv. Bartlett) in summer 2010 revealed the presence of wedge-shaped cankers on 2- to 5-cm diameter …