Plant Pathology Program - KTFREC
   

 
Alan R. Biggs  

Alan R. Biggs, Ph.D.
WVU-KTFREC
P.O. Box 609
Kearneysville, WV  25430

Alan.Biggs@mail.wvu.edu

 

  • Education:

    • The Pennsylvania State University - Ph.D., Plant Pathology (1982)

    • The Pennsylvania State University - M.Sc., Plant Pathology (1978)

    • The Pennsylvania State University - B.Sc., Forest Biology (1976)

  • Employment History:

    • Professor of Plant Pathology and Extension Specialist,-- Tree Fruit Pathology, West Virginia University, Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research and Education Center, P. O. Box 609, Kearneysville, WV 25430. Member - Graduate Faculty. July 1, 1995 - present.
       
    • Associate Professor of Plant Pathology and Extension Specialist,-- Tree Fruit Pathology, West Virginia University, Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research and Education Center, P. O. Box 609, Kearneysville, WV 25430. Member - Graduate Faculty. September 1, 1989 - June 30, 1995.
       
    • Research Scientist and Head, Plant Pathology Section, Agriculture Canada, Vineland Research Station, Vineland Station, Ontario. Fungal and bacterial diseases of tree fruits, administration of the Plant Pathology section. April 1986 - August, 1989.
       
    • Research Scientist, Agriculture Canada, Vineland Research Station, Vineland Station, Ontario. Fungal and bacterial diseases of tree fruits. January 1983 - March 1986.
       

  • Research Interests:

    • Organic, alternative, and ecosystem-based apple culture: Leader of a multidisciplinary team to investigate sustainable and organic systems for fresh and processing apple production.

    • Fire blight epidemiology and disease management.

    • Canker diseases: Mechanisms of disease resistance, breeding for disease resistance with conventional methods and with somaclonal variation, physiology of the host/parasite interaction, tissue culture, integrated pest management.

    • Brown rot of stone fruits: Ecology and epidemiology, biology of overwintering, influence of environment on infection, influence of fruit age and inoculum density on infection, evaluation of disease management strategies, integrated pest management.

    • Apple diseases: Control of apple scab with sterol-inhibiting fungicides, pre-infection and post-symptom effects, use of sterol-inhibiting fungicides in integrated pest management programs, influence of fungicides on apple orchard arthropods, role of sterol-inhibiting fungicides on overwintering of V. inaequalis, evaluation of disease management strategies, disease prediction and modeling, suppression of rot diseases with calcium compounds.

    • Electronic technology for extension communication (see The Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research and Education Center World Wide Web Home Page).

  • Awards and Honors:
    • Lee M. Hutchins Award from the American Phytopathological Society. This award is presented annually and recognizes the best contribution, presented in one or more full-length papers, in research on diseases of perennial fruit plants; received in 1993.

  • Service:
    • Editor-in-Chief of Plant Disease (2001 - 2003)
    • Senior Editor of Plant Disease (1998 - 2000)
    • Associate Editor of Plant Disease (1994 - 1996)
    • Associate Editor of Phytopathology (1988 - 1990)

  • Recent Refereed Publications in Scientific Journals:
    • Gao, L. L., Zhang, Q., Sun, X. Y., Zhang, R., Sun, G. Y., and Biggs, A. R. 2013 Diversity of pathogens associated with moldy core and core rot of Fuji apple in Shaanxi Province, China. Plant Disease 97:510-516.
    • Hoover, E., Marini, R., Tepe, E., Autio, W., Biggs, A. R., Clements, J., Crassweller, R., Foster, D., Foster, M. J., Miller, D., Parker, M., Racsko, J., Robinson, T., and Warmund, M. 2012. eApples: A case study in using eXtension.org to increase access to research-based information. HortTechnology 22:576-579.
    • Sugimoto, T., Kato, M., Yoshida, S., Matsumoto, I., Kobayashi, T., Kaga, A., Hajika, M., Yamamoto, R., Watanabe, K., Aino, M., Matoh, T., Walker, D. R., Biggs, A. R., and Ishimoto, M. 2012. Pathogenic diversity of Phytophthora sojae and breeding strategies to develop Phytophthora-resistant soybean. Breeding Science 61:511-522.
    • Sugimoto, T., Yoshida S., Kaga, A., Hajika, M., Watanabe, K., Aino M., Tatsuda, K., Yamamoto, R., Matoh, T., Walker, D. R., Biggs, A. R., and Ishimoto, M. 2011. DNA markers linked to a novel Phytophthora sojae resistance gene in the Japanese soybean cultivar Waseshiroge. Euphytica 181:133.145.
    • Gleason, M., Batzer, J., Harrington, T., Guangyu, S., Zhang, R., Díaz, M. M., Sutton, T., Crous, P., Ivanović, M., McManus, P., Cooley, D., Yoder, K. S., Biggs, A. R., and Oertel, B. 2011. A new view of the sooty blotch and flyspeck complex. Plant Disease 95: 368-383. (Feature Article).
    • Biggs, A. R., Cooley, D. R., Rosenberger, D. A., and Yoder, K. S. 2010. Relative susceptibility of selected apple cultivars to sooty blotch and flyspeck. Online. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2010-0726-01-RS. (Reprint available upon request).
    • Sugimoto, T., Watanabe, K., Yoshida S., Aino M., Furiki, M., Shiono, M., Matoh, T., and Biggs A. R. 2010. Field experiments with two calcium compounds that reduce Phytophthora stem rot disease of soybean, and calcium distribution in plants using scanning electron microscope analysis. Plant Disease 94:812-819. (Journal article pdf).
    • Biggs, A. R., Sundin, G., Rosenberger, D. A., Yoder, K. S., and Sutton, T. B. 2010. Relative susceptibility of selected apple cultivars and selections to apple scab caused by Venturia inaequalis. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2010-0408-01-RS.(Reprint available upon request).
    • Biggs, A. R., and Turechek, W. W. 2010. Fire blight of apples and pears: epidemiological concepts comprising the Maryblyt forecasting program. Online. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2010-0315-01-RS. (Reprint available upon request).
    • Biggs, A. R., Yoder, K. S., and Rosenberger, D. A. 2009. Relative susceptibility of selected apple cultivars to powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera leucotricha. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2009-1119-01-RS.(Reprint available upon request).
    • Biggs, A. R., Rosenberger, D. A., Yoder, K. S., Kiyomoto, R. K., Cooley, D. R., and Sutton, T. B. 2009. Relative susceptibility of selected apple cultivars to cedar apple rust and quince rust. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2009-1014-01-RS. (Reprint available upon request).
    • Sugimoto, T., K. Watanabe, S. Yoshida, M. Aino, K. Irie, and Biggs, A. R. 2008. Select calcium compounds reduce Phytophthora stem rot disease of soybean. Plant Disease 92:1559-1565. (Journal article pdf).
    • Biggs, A.R., Turechek, W. W., and Gottwald, T. R. 2008. Analysis of fire blight shoot infection epidemics on four apple cultivars. Plant Disease 92:1349-1356. (Journal article pdf).
    • Dewdney, M. M., Biggs, A. R., and Turechek, W. W. 2007. A statistical comparison of the blossom blight forecasts of Maryblyt and Cougarblight with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Phytopathology 97: 1164-1176.
    • Grove, G. G. and Biggs, A. R. 2006. Production and dispersal of conidia of Leucostoma cinctum in peach and cherry orchards under irrigation in Eastern Washington. Plant Disease 90:587-591.
    • Biggs, A. R. and Grove, G. G. 2006. Leucostoma canker of stone fruits. The Plant Health Instructor. DOI: 10.1094/PHI-I-2005-1220-01.
    • Biggs, A. R and N.W. Miles. 2005. Variation in wound healing and resistance to Leucostoma persoonii in peach derived from embryo culture. HortScience 40:1585-1586.
    • Biggs, A. R. and S.S. Miller. 2005. Relative susceptibility of NE-183 apple cultivars to fruit rot pathogens in West Virginia. Journal of the American Pomological Society. 59: 72-77.
    • Biggs, A. R. and S. S. Miller.  2004.  Relative susceptibility of selected apple cultivars to Botryosphaeria obtusa.  HortScience 39:303-306.
    • Biggs, A. R. 2004. Effect of inoculum concentration and calcium salts on infection of apple fruit by Botryosphaeria dothidea. Plant Disease 88:147-151.
    • Biggs, A. R. and S. S. Miller.  2003.  Relative susceptibility of selected apple cultivars to Botryosphaeria dothidea.  HortScience 38:400-403.
    • Biggs, A. R. and S. S. Miller. 2001. Relative susceptibility of selected NE-183 apple cultivars to Colletotrichum acutatum. Plant Disease 85:657-660.
    • Biggs, A. R., H. W. Hogmire, and A. R. Collins. 2000. Assessment of an alternative IPM program for the production of apples for processing. Plant Disease 84:1140-1146.
    • Biggs, A. R. 2000. Evaluation of calcium chloride for apple disease control, 1994-1997. Biological and Cultural Tests for Control of Plant Diseases 15:47-48.
    • Biggs, A. R. 2000. Comparison of rotary and flail mowers for inhibiting fungal reproduction on apple prunings. Biological and Cultural Tests for the Control of Plant Diseases 15:49-50.
    • Biggs, A. R. 1999. Effects of calcium salts on apple bitter rot caused by two Colletotrichum spp. Plant Disease 83: 1001-1005.
    • Biggs, A. R. and G. G. Grove. 1998. Role of the World Wide Web in Extension plant pathology: Case studies in tree fruits and grapes. Plant Disease 82:452-464.

-- Many of the publications are available here, including chapters from the books below.

Books:

Defense Mechanisms of Woody Plants Against Fungi, edited by R. A. Blanchette and A. R. Biggs.Defense Mechanisms of Woody Plants Against Fungi. 1992. Blanchette, R.A. and A.R. Biggs, Eds. Springer-Verlag (Berlin) 458 pp.   Cytology, Histology, and Histochemistry of Fruit Tree Diseases, edited by A. R. Biggs.Cytology, Histology, and Histochemistry of Fruit Tree Diseases. 1993. Biggs, A.R., Editor. CRC Press, Inc. 330 pp.

Web Site Author: Alan R. Biggs
Copyright ©1996-2008.