Conference

I did it!

I aced that presentation! Lots of people coming up afterwards saying I did a good job, lots of people asking questions about my work.

In case you didn't know (and maybe I didn't tell you) last night I gave a presentation on my research at the Northeast Potato Technology Forum called "Survey of post-harvest potato pathogens in Canada and their sensitivity to chemical treatments." For those so inclined, here is the abstract

Post-harvest diseases cause significant annual losses in potato yield and quality in Canada. Thiabendazole (TBZ) has been available for post-harvest application to potatoes in Canada for many years, but resistant strains of Fusarium sambucinum and Helminthosporium solani have been recovered since the mid-1990s. More recently, resistance to fludioxonil (FDL), a common seed-piece treatment, has been reported in some Fusarium spp. Azoxystrobin (AZO) has shown some promise as a post-harvest fungicide, but is not yet registered for this use in Canada. Dry rot, silver scurf and black dot (caused by Fusarium spp., Helminthosporium solani and Colletotrichum coccodes, respectively) were diseases under investigation as part of a national survey conducted in 2007 and 2008. Samples of tubers were collected from several provinces and sent to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Charlottetown. The identity of the predominant causal agents of disease was determined using morphological and molecular means. As well, the sensitivity of these pathogens to TBZ, FDL and AZO was ascertained using an amended agar assay. As these experiments are ongoing, only preliminary results will be presented.

If you're still here, you probably found it interesting. Post comments and questions-- I'd be glad to answer them.