Joseph B. Morton
JOSEPH B. MORTON
Office Phone: (304) 293-3911
Office Fax: (304) 293-2872
E-mail: JMORTON@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
WWW: http://invam.caf.wvu.edu
EDUCATION
1967-1971 Montana State University B. S.
Major: Botany
Minor: Microbiology
1975-1979 Montana State University Ph.D.
EMPLOYMENT
1972-1975
Arabic Linguist
U.S.A.F. Security Service
Crete, Greece
1979-1980
Plant Pathologist-Breeder
Cargill, Inc.
Lubbock, Texas
1980-1986
Assistant Professor,
Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
1987-1991
Associate Professor
Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
1992-present
Professor and Chairman
Plant Pathology and
Environmental Microbiology
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My research projects focus on fungi in most soils worldwide which develop
beneficial mycorrhizal symbioses with a wide range of plant species. I
curate the International Culture Collection of Vesicular-arbuscular
Mycorrhizal Fungi (INVAM) (link to http://invam.caf.wvu.edu), which provides
diverse germ plams to examine host, soil, and plant factors optimizing
benefit of the mycorrhizal association. Developmental studies of mycorrhiza
and spore differentiation and comparisons of fatty acid profiles are being
used to elucidate patterns of organismal evolution and speciation. As part
of the mission of INVAM, we are collaborating with scientists worldwide to
examine patterns of fungal diversity at molecular, organismal, and ecological
scales. At a basic level, projects include the study of comparative
development of mycorrhiza and spore differentation of selected species to
elucidate patterns of organismal evolution and speciation, the role of
hyphal glycoproteins in nutrient interactions and soil aggregation, and
population level studies isolating native fungi from various sites and
determining the proportion of species which are effective growth promoters of
assay hosts. At an applied level, projects are underway to screen and produce
inoculum of specific fungal isolates for commercial application to promote
growth and survival of transplantable plant species in field settings where
soils have been disturbed or removed.
RECENT RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
Bentivenga, S. P. and J. B. Morton. 1996. Congruence of fatty acid methyl ester profiles and morphological characters of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Gigasporaceae. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 93:559-5662.
Morton, J. B. 1995. Taxonomic and phylogenetic divergence among five Scutellospora species (Glomales, Zygomycetes) based on comparative developmental sequences. Mycologia 87:127-137.
Morton, J.B., S. P. Bentivenga, and J. D. Bever. 1995. Discovery, measurement, and interpretation of diversity in symbiotic endomycorrhizal fungi (Glomales, Zygomycetes). Can. J. Bot. 73 (suppl. 1): S25-S32.
Stutz, J. C. and J. B. Morton. 1996. Successive pot cultures reveal high species richness of arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi in arid ecosystems. Can. J. Bot. 74:1883-1889.
Wright, S. F., M. Franke-Snyder, J. B. Morton, and A. Upadhyaya. 1996. Time-course study and partial characterization of a protein on hyphae of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi during active colonization of roots. Plant Soil 181:193-203.
CURRENT RESEARCH GRANTS
"Enhancement of agronomic and horticultural crop production on a reclaimed surface minesite using mycorrhizal fungi" Mingo County Redevelopment Authority, WV.
"Maintenance and expansion of an International Culture Collection of Arbuscular and Vesicular-arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (INVAM)", Division of Biological Instrumentation and Resources, National Science Foundation.
"Adaptive mechanisms for aluminum tolerance in ectomycorrhizal fungi" Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, National Science Foundation, co-PI with Jonathan Cumming and Daniel Panaccione.
"Biodiversity and interactions of beneficial bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere", Southern Regional Project S-262.
TEACHING
Courses
Plant Pathology 201 (Intro to Plant Pathology), 4 credits, each fall semester
Plant Pathology 301 (Diseases of forage, ornamental, and field crops), 3 credits, alternative years
Graduate Student Advisor
4 Ph.D. students, 7 M.S. students 1982-present.
Chairman of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology Disciplines (1992-1997).