Highlighted publications

  1. Miller Foster, M. and P. Esker. 2024. Developing critical communication skills through authentic collaborations. NACTA Journal 68(TT). https://doi.org/10.56103/nactaj.v68iTT.230.
  2. Garnica, V., D. Shah, P. Esker, and P.S. Ojiambo. 2024. MSE FINDR: A Shiny R application to estimate mean square error using treatment means and post-hoc test results. Plant Disease 108:https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-23-2519-SR. 
  3. Becker, P., P. Esker, and G. Umaña. 2024. Fermentation of Trichoderma for biological control-addressing supply issues using local inputs in Costa Rica. Agronomía Mesoamericana, 55761. https://doi.org/10.15517/am.2024.55761.
  4. The Global Plant Health Assessment Project Team. 2023. A global assessment of the state of plant health. Plant Disease, 107:3649-3665, https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-23-0166-FE.
  5. Becker, P., P. Esker, and G. Umaña. 2023. Defense-related gene expression in response to the application of biological control agents in banana. Biological Control 186:105317.
  6. Mourtzinis, S., P. Mitchell, P. Esker, A. Cerrudo, S. Naeve, and S. Conley. 2023. Field-level yield benefits and risk effects of intensive soybean management across the US. Field Crops Research 301:109012.
  7. Duffeck, M.R., A.Y. Bandara, D.K. Weersooriya, A. Collins, P.J. Jensen, G.A. Kuldau, E. Del Ponte, and P.D. Esker. 2022. Fusarium head blight of small grains in Pennsylvania: Unravelling species diversity, toxin types, growth and triazole sensitivity. Phytopathology 112:794-802. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-02-21-0070-R.
  8. Bock, C., S.J. Pethybridge, J.G.A. Barbedo, P.D. Esker, A-K. Mahlein, and E.M. Del Ponte. 2022. A phytopathometry glossary for the 21st century: Towards consistency and precision in intra- and inter-disciplinary crosstalk. Tropical Plant Pathology 47:14-24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40858-021-00454-0.
  9. Bandara, A.Y., D.K. Weerasooriya, R.V. Trexler, T.H. Bell, and P.D. Esker. 2021. Soybean roots and soil from high- and low-yielding field sites are characterized by distinct microbial co-occurrence networks. Frontiers in Microbiology, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.675352.
  10. Shah, D., T.R. Butts, S. Mourtzinis, J.I. Rattalino Edreira, P. Grassini, S.P. Conley, and P.D. Esker. 2021. A machine learning interpretation of the contribution of foliar fungicides to soybean yield in the north-central United States. Science Reports 11:18769.
  11. Mourtzinis, S., P.D. Esker, J.E. Specht, and S.P. Conley. 2021. Advancing agricultural research using machine learning algorithms. Scientific Reports 11:17879.
  12. Duffeck, M., E.M. Del Ponte, and P. Esker. 2021. Multifaceted insights of Fusarium head blight in small grains in Pennsylvania. Plant Health Progress, https://10.1094/PHP-03-21-0067-SYN. 
  13. Becker, P., P. Esker, G. Umaña. 2021. Incorporation of microorganisms to reduce chemical fungicide usage in Black sigatoka control programs in Costa Rica. Crop Protection. 146:105657.
  14. Bandara. A., D. Weerasooriya, T. Bell, and P. Esker. 2021. Prospects of alleviating early planting-associated cold susceptibility of soybean using microbes: insights from microbiome analysis. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.12476. 
  15. Kaminsky, L., P. Esker, and T. Bell. 2021. Abiotic conditions outweigh microbial origin during bacterial assembly in soils. Environmental Microbiology 23:358-371. [https://doi:10.1111/1462-2920.15322]https://doi:10.1111/1462-2920.15322.
  16. Bandara, A.Y., D.K. Weerasooriya, A. Murillo Williams, C. White, A.A. Collins, T.H. Bell, and P.D. Esker. 2020. Relationship between soybean yield from high and low yielding field positions and selected soil characteristics across farms. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment, Pages 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20126. 
  17. Bandara. A.Y., D.K. Weerasooriya, S.P. Conley, T.W. Allen, and P.D. Esker. 2020. Modeling the relationship between estimated fungicide use and disease-associated yield losses of soybean in the United States II: seed-applied fungicides vs seedling diseases. PLOS ONE 15:e0244424. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244424.
  18. Bandara, A.Y., D.K. Weerasooriya, S.P. Conley, C.A. Bradley, T.W. Allen, and, P. Esker. 2020. Modeling the relationship between estimated fungicide use and disease-associated yield losses of soybean in the United States I: Foliar fungicides vs. foliar diseases. PLOS ONE 15(6):e0234390. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234390. 
  19. Bandara, A.Y., D.K. Weerasooriya, C.A. Bradley, T.W. Allen, and P. Esker. 2020. Dissecting the economic impact of soybean diseases in the United States over two decades. PLOS ONE 15(4):e0231141. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231141.
  20. Hitaj, C., D.J. Smith, A. Code, S. Wechsler, P.D. Esker, and M.R. Douglas. 2020. Sowing uncertainty: What we do and don’t know about the planting of pesticide-treated seed. BioScience 70:390-403.
  21. Duffeck, M., K. Alves, F. Machado, P. Esker, and E. Del Ponte. 2020. Modeling of yield losses and risk analysis of fungicide profitability for managing Fusarium head blight in Brazilian spring wheat. Phytopathology 110:370-378.
  22. Mourtzinis, S., C.H. Krupke, P.D. Esker, and 20 other co-authors. 2019. Neonicotinoid seed treatments of soybean provide negligible benefits to US farmers. Scientific Reports, 9:11207.
  23. Savary, S., L. Willocquet, S.J. Pethybridge, P. Esker, N. McRoberts, and A. Nelson. 2019. Assessing the global burden of pathogens and pests on major food crops. Nature Ecology and Evolution 3:430-439.
  24. Esker, P.D., D. Shah, C. Bradley, S. Conley, P. Paul, and A. Robertson. 2018. Perceptions of Midwestern crop advisors and growers on foliar fungicide adoption and use in maize. Phytopathology 108:1078-1088. (Editors Pick for September 2018).
  25. Savary, S., N. McRoberts, P.D. Esker, L. Willocquet, and P.S. Teng. 2017. Production situations as drivers of crop health: evidence and implications. Plant Pathology 66:867-876.

Other resources

  • Habashy, N., Miller-Foster, M., P. Esker, and D. Behring (eds). 2023. Everyone Needs to Eat: Introduction to Food Security and Global Agriculture. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike 4.0 International License. psu.pb.unizin.org/internatag/

Information about the Global Plant Health Assessment