ISU Microbiology Graduate Program

Olmedo-Velarde Lab Students Share Iowa Plant Virology Research at WERA-20 Meeting!
Olmedo-Velarde Lab students Carter Casey and Kota Nakasato represented Iowa State University at the WERA-20 annual meeting, Management of Diseases Caused by Systemic Pathogens in Temperate and Sub-Tropical Fruit Crops and Woody Ornamentals, held May 6–8 at Maui Community College in Kahului, Hawaiʻi.
WERA-20 is a multistate research coordinating committee focused on diseases caused by systemic pathogens, including viruses, viroids, phytoplasmas, and systemic bacterial pathogens, in fruit crops and woody ornamentals. The group brings together researchers, extension specialists, regulatory professionals, and government representatives to share research updates, strengthen collaborations, and advance disease-management strategies for specialty crops.
During the meeting, Carter Casey presented “Characterization of Virus Populations in Cold-Hardy Grapevine in Iowa,” highlighting research on virus diversity in grapevine systems relevant to Midwest specialty crop production. Kota Nakasato presented “Characterization of Novel Viruses Identified in Red-Osier Dogwood in Iowa,” sharing findings from high-throughput sequencing-based discovery of previously undescribed viruses associated with a woody ornamental host.
The meeting program included research reports from multiple states, updates on grapevine, citrus, cherry, rose, and ornamental plant diseases, and a special session on applying National Clean Plant Network principles to tropical and subtropical plant disease management in Hawaiʻi. The final day included a field trip to Mahi Pono Farm and Maui Tropical Plantation, where participants learned about Hawaiian agriculture, including its unique production challenges and opportunities.
Participation in WERA-20 provided an opportunity for Olmedo-Velarde Lab students to share Iowa State research with a national network of plant pathologists, virologists, extension professionals, and regulatory partners working to protect fruit crops and woody ornamentals from emerging systemic pathogens.
https://nimss.org/projects/view/mrp/outline/18910