SANJU KUNWAR, PhD

II am Sanju Kunwar, PhD, Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida's North Florida Research & Education Center (NFREC) in Quincy. I lead 360IPM and serve as your go-to expert for sustainable disease management in specialty crops and ornamentals across North Florida.

With over 12 years of hands-on research and extension experience, I bridge cutting-edge science with practical solutions that work on your farms. My focus is the diseases threatening tomatoes, cucurbits, peppers, citrus, and ornamentals—delivering diagnostics, research, and extension that protect your livelihood and strengthen our regional agriculture.

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WHY I BUILT 360IPM AT NFREC

This "360° approach" creates resilient plant pathology support tailored to North Florida.

North Florida specialty crop growers face unique challenges—bacterial wilt in tomatoes, copper-tolerant bacterial spot, fungal diseases in cucurbits and ornamentals, emerging viral threats. When I joined NFREC in 2025, I saw three critical gaps:

  1. Rapid, reliable diagnostics when diseases hit your fields
  2. Locally relevant research on our regional pathogens
  3. Practical extension translating science into farm-ready recommendations

360IPM addresses all three as an integrated system:

  • Your diagnostic cases become my research priorities
  • My research findings inform extension recommendations
  • Your feedback shapes my next trials and diagnostics


About Me

I earned my MS (2014) and PhD (2018) in Plant Pathology at UF Gainesville, researching bacterial wilt resistance in tomatoes.

I gained hands-on North Florida experience as a Research Intern at NFREC's Plant Diagnostic Clinic (2022), then advanced my expertise through postdoctoral work at UW-Madison (2019-2020) on Ralstonia effectors and at UF SWFREC (2021-present) tackling citrus HLB/canker with oxytetracycline trials and AI orchard monitoring.

This diverse UF/IFAS foundation—from tomato wilt to citrus greening—prepared me to lead 360IPM at NFREC, delivering integrated solutions for North Florida specialty crops.


Download my CV

MY EXTENSION: INPUT → OUTPUT → IMPACT

Phase 1: I Listen to You

  • Farm visits walking your fields
  • Diagnostic analysis from your operations
  • Extension agent training needs
  • Commodity group priority identification

Phase 2: Actionable Tools

  • 48-hour diagnostic reports with spray recommendations
  • 1-2 page crop-specific guides (photo-based) Seasonal disease alerts to your inbox
  • Field days on your varieties
  • Ready-to-use PowerPoints/fact sheets

Phase 3: Real Results

  • Fewer misapplied treatments
  • Higher IPM adoption
  • Maintained yields, reduced chemical use
  • Confident extension agents supporting you

MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION

Graduate Students

I supervise UF Plant Pathology MS/PhD students tackling grower problems—bacterial wilt resistance, fungicide rotations, diagnostics.

Undergrads & Interns

I've mentored 8+ undergrads on greenhouse screening, molecular diagnostics, and field trials.

Extension Agents

My in-service trainings equip agents with diagnostic trees, photo IDs, and protocols they deploy immediately.

Industry Partners

I collaborate with Florida Tomato Committee, Watermelon Association on co-funded trials delivering ROI.

Research Area

Bacterial Wilt & Spot (My Core Expertise)

Since my PhD days, I've focused on Ralstonia solanacearum (bacterial wilt) and Xanthomonas perforans (bacterial spot). I developed the first field management of root-knot nematodes using wilt-resistant rootstocks, tested transgenic EFR/Bs2 resistance, and now monitor copper tolerance in North Florida Xanthomonas populations while evaluating alternatives like Actigard and lignin products.


Citrus HLB & Canker (Recent Focus)

At SWFREC, I contributed data for EPA's oxytetracycline approval, coordinated multi-site antibiotic rotation trials, tested biocontrols (EB-92, PsJN, Agriphage), and collaborated with Bayer on novel antimicrobials. These experiences strengthen my vegetable pathology work.

Fungal Pathogens & Emerging Threats

I map Fusarium, Phytophthora, and Alternaria populations across North Florida, while my diagnostic lab serves as a sentinel for viral/viroid threats.

Marker Assisted Selection

  • Characterized a global set of tomato lines available at WorldVeg Center, Taiwan, against bacterial wilt disease to find new sources of resistance utilizing marker-assisted selection and phenotyping.
  • Collaborated with the UF tomato breeding program to screen 600+ tomato genotypes in the field and greenhouse for resistance to BW disease.
  • Genetic dissection of heat-responsive physiological traits to improve adaptation and increase yield potential in soft winter wheat

Designing Novel Therapeutic Application Technique in Tree Crops

  • Developed new mechanical techniques for injecting therapeutic liquid directly into the citrus vasculature to protect against major citrus diseases, with a focus on citrus greening

Tissue Culture & Invitro Propagation

  • Micropropagation and mass propagation of virus-free pre-basic potato seeds in Nepal
  • Invitro propagation of potato, large cardamom, orchids, stevia, and paulownia using tissue culture techniques

International Collaborations

  • Joint Project of University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Florida, National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB), and the University of Lome, Togo - Evaluated diversity of the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC), the causal agent of tomato bacterial wilt in West Africa
  • USAID- Feed the Future Horticulture Innovation Lab, UC Davis, California, USA - Training 20+ smallholder farmers in Rwanda on the production of citrus and mango. Effective rainwater collection for irrigating fruit tree seedlings during dry seasons in Rwanda, Africa
  • The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan - Phenotyping bacterial wilt resistance in a global set of tomato lines in greenhouse assays against bacterial wilt of tomatoes

Education

2015 - 2018, Ph. D

University of Florida

Plant Pathology Department 

2013 - 2015, M.S.

University of Florida

Plant Pathology Department 

2006 - 2011, BSc.

SANN Intl. College,

Purbanchal University

Achievements and Awards

The Storkan-Hanes-McCaslin Research Foundation Award, 2016


Francis Aloysius Wood Memorial Award, 2015

Trellis Fellow, 2018 USAID- Feed the Future Horticulture Innovation Lab

14th Biennial Florida Phytopathological Society Paper Competition, 2015

Third Annual Graduate Research Symposium, 2014

Martin Stoner Memorial Student Award, 2017

Publications (peer reviewed)

Britt, K., Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., Altschul, R., Arment, A., and Batuman, O. 2023. Novel insecticides for control of the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri), vector of Huanglongbing disease in Florida citrus (equal contribution first author; manuscript in progress).

Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., Manker,D., Iott, M., Knobloch, T., Brunet, S., Dufour, J., and Batuman, O., 2023. New

Antimicrobials and Plant Defense Inducers for Managing Citrus Canker Disease. Frontiers in Agronomy (just accepted).

Batuman, O., Britt-Ugartemendia., K., Kunwar, S., Yilmaz, S., Fessler, L., Redondo, A., Chumachenko, K., Chakravarty. S., Wade., T. 2023. Phytopathology. The Use and Impact of Antibiotics in Plant Agriculture: A Review (just submitted).

Archer, L., Kunwar, S., Alferez, F., Batuman, O. and Albrecht, U., 2023. Trunk injection of oxytetracycline for

huanglongbing management in mature grapefruit and sweet orange trees. Phytopathology, 113(6), pp.1010-1021.

Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., Manker, D., Lott, M., Knobloch, T., Brunet, S., Dufour, J. and Batuman, O. 2023. Novel systemic acquired resistance (SAR) inducers for managing huanglongbing (citrus greening) and citrus canker

diseases. Acta Hortic. 1378, 133-142 <doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1378.18>

<https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1378.18>

Bamazi, B., Banito, A., Ayisah, K.D., Sikirou, R., Paret, M.L., Kunwar, S., Kamde, K., Tchalla, P. and Sister-Love NA, A., 2022. Distribution and Incidence of Tomato Bacterial Wilt Caused by Ralstonia solanacearum in the Central Region of Togo. Plant Health Progress, 23(2), pp.235-240.

Kunwar, S., Bamazi, B., Banito, A., Carter, M., Weinstein, S., Steidl, O., Hayes, M.M., Allen, C. and Paret, M., 2021. First Report of Bacterial Wilt Disease of Tomato, Pepper, and Gboma Caused by Ralstonia solanacearum Species Complex in Togo. Plant Disease, 105(2), p.484.

Fan, Q., Liao, Y.Y., Kunwar, S., Da Silva, S., Young, M., Santra, S., Minsavage, G.V., Freeman, J.H., Jones, J.B.

and Paret, M.L., 2021. Antibacterial effect of copper composites against Xanthomonas euvesicatoria. Crop Protection, 139, p.105366.

Pradhan, S., Babar, M., Bai, G., Khan J., Shahi, D., Avci, M., Guo, J., McBreen, J., Asseng,, S., Gezan, S., Baik, B-K., Blount, A., Harrison, S., Sapkota, S., Amand, P., Kunwar, S. 2020. Genetic dissection of heat-responsive physiological traits to improve adaptation and increase yield potential in soft winter wheat. BMC Genomics 21:315.

Kunwar, S., Hsu, Y-C., Lu S-F., and Hanson, P. 2019. Evaluation of bacterial wilt resistance sources for presence of major resistance QTLs Bwr-12 and Bwr-6, and as potential sources of new resistance. VI International Symposium on Tomato Diseases. (ISHS, Acta Horticulturae) <doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1316.6>

Kunwar, S., Hsu, Y-C., Lu S-F., Wang, J-F., Jones, J. B., Hutton, S., Paret, M., Hanson, P. 2020. Characterization of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) accessions for resistance to phylotype I and phylotype II strains of Ralstonia solanacearum species complex under high temperature. Plant Breeding. 139(2):389-401.

Kunwar, S., Iriarte, F., Fan, Q., da Silva, E. E., Ritchie, L., Nguyen, S. N., Freeman. H. J., Stall, S. R., Jones, J. B., Minsavage, V. G., Colee J., Scott J.W., Vallad, G.E., Zipfel, C., Horvath, D., Westwood, J., Hutton, S.F., and Paret, M. L. 2018. Transgenic expression of EFR and Bs2 genes for field management of bacterial wilt and bacterial spot of tomato. Phytopathology, 108:1402-1411

Kunwar, S., Kefialew Y., Abate D., Ayalew A., Colee, J., Ritchie, L., Olson, S. M., and Paret, M.L. 2018. Direct antifungal activity of tiadinil, a systemic acquired resistance inducer, and thymol formulations on Stagonosporopsis citrulli and control of watermelon gummy stem blight. Journal of Gen. Plant Path. 84:284-295 (equal contribution 1st author).

Kunwar, S., Paret, M.L., Freeman, J.H., Ritchie, L., Olson, S.M., Colee, J. and Jones, J.B., 2017. Foliar Applications of Acibenzolar-S-Methyl Negatively Affect the Yield of Grafted Tomatoes in Fields Infested with Ralstonia

solanacearum. Plant Disease, 101:890-894.

Khatri, K., Kunwar, S., Barocco, R.L., Dufault, N. 2017. Monitoring Fungicide Sensitivity Levels and Mycelial Compatibility Groupings of S. rolfsii from Florida Peanut Fields. Peanut Science.

Dari, B., Sihi, D., Bal, S.K., Kunwar, S. 2017. Performance of direct-seeded rice under various dates of sowing and

irrigation regimes in semi-arid region of India. Paddy and Water Env. 15:395-401.

Kunwar, S., Paret, M.L., Olson, S.M., Ritchie, L., Rich, J.R., Freeman, J. and McAvoy, T. 2015. Grafting using rootstocks with resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum against Meloidogyne incognita in tomato production. Plant Disease. 99:119-124.

Ocsoy, I., Paret, M. L., Ocsoy, M. A., Kunwar, S., Chen, T., You, M., & Tan, W. 2013. Nanotechnology in plant disease

management: DNA-directed silver nanoparticles on graphene oxide as an antibacterial against Xanthomonas perforans. Acs Nano.7: 8972-8980.

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Abstracts and Non-Peer Reviewed Publications

Kunwar, S., Batuman, O., Redondo, A., Manker, D., Iott, M., Knobloch, T., Brunet, S., and Dufour, J. 2024. Defending Citrus Orchards: Novel Approaches to HLB and Canker Management Using New Plant Defense Inducers. VII International Research Conference on Huanglongbing. Riverside, California, USA (to be held March 26-29).

 

Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., and Batuman, O., 2023. New Antimicrobials and Plant Defense Inducers for Managing Citrus Canker Disease. 18th Biennial Florida Phytopathological Society Meeting. South Florida Research and Education Center, Immokalee, University of Florida, USA. (Poster presentation).

 

Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., Archer, L., Alferez, F., Albrecht, Ute, Batuman, O. 2023. Injecting Oxytetracycline: An Effective Approach for Managing HLB Disease in Citrus. 18th Biennial Florida Phytopathological Society Meeting. South Florida Research and Education Center, Immokalee, University of Florida, USA. (Poster presentation).

 

Kunwar, S., Redondo, A. and Batuman, O., 2022, November. Copper-alternative tools to manage citrus canker (Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri) in Florida Groves. In Phytopathology, Vol. 112, No. 11, pp. 76-76. American Phytopathological Society. (Poster Presentation)

 

Ojo, I., Vijayakumar, V., Ampatzidis, Y., Batuman, O., Kunwar, S., Albrecht, U., Archer, L., Alferez, F., Bayabil, H. and Schueller, J.K., 2022. An Automated Delivery System for Therapeutic Materials Using Needle-Based Trunk Injection to

Treat HLB Affected Citrus. In 2022 ASABE Annual International Meeting (p. 1). American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

 

S. Kunwar, M. L. Paret, J. Jones, S. F. Hutton, D. Horvath and C. Allen. 2023. Expressing Arabidopsis EFR in a large-fruited tomato cultivar increases marketable yield and confers broad-spectrum bacterial wilt resistance by restricting pathogen colonization. Plant Biology Worldwide Summit July 19-23. (Virtual Oral Presentation; Invited Speaker)

 

S. Kunwar, M. L. Paret, S. F. Hutton and C. Allen. 2020. Understanding bacterial wilt resistance in transgenic tomato plants expressing the EFR Pattern Recognition Receptor. Plant Health Meeting, Denver, CO, USA. Oral presentation (virtual meeting)

 

Smeda, J., Kunwar, S., Paret, M., Vallad, G.E. and Hutton, S.F., 2020, August. Pieces of the Puzzle: In Pursuit of Bacterial Wilt Resistance in Tomato. In 2020 ASHS Annual Conference.

 

S. Kunwar., Hsu, Y-C., Lu S-F., Wang, J-F., Jones, J. B., Hutton, S., Paret, M., Hanson, P. 2019. Characterization of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) accessions for resistance to phylotype I and phylotype II strains of Ralstonia solanacearum species complex under high temperature. 2019. Plant Health Meeting, Cleveland, OH, USA. (Poster presentation)

 

S. Kunwar., Hsu, Y-C., Lu S-F., Wang, J-F., Jones, J. B., Hutton, S., Paret, M., Hanson, P. 2019. Distribution of Bacterial Wilt Resistance QTLs in a Global Set of Resistant Tomato Lines and Their Disease Reaction Against Phylotype I and

Phylotype II Strain of Ralstonia spp. 2019. Raper Symposium, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, USA. Oral presentation

 

Fan, Q., Liao, Y.Y., Kunwar, S., Young, M., Santra, S., Jones, J.B. and Paret, M.L., 2019, September. Managing bacterial spot of pepper caused by Xanthomonas euvesicatoria using novel copper-composites. In Phytopathology. Vol. 109,

No. 9. American Phytopathological Society. Kunwar, S., Yun-che, G. H., Lu, S., Hanson, P. 2019. Evaluating Bacterial Wilt Resistant Tomato Lines for Resistance QTLs and Their Disease Reaction Against Phylotypes I and II Strain of Ralstonia spp. Plant Health.

 

S. Kunwar, E. da Silva, F. B. Iriarte, L. Ritchie, D. Clark, J. H. Freeman, R. E. Stall, J. B. Jones, G. V. Minsavage Jr., C. Zipfel, D. M. Horvath, M. Paret, Q. Fan. 2018. Co-expression of Bs2 and EFR Genes in Tomato Provides Effective

Broad-spectrum Field Resistance Against Bacterial Wilt and Bacterial Spot of Tomato. International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP), Boston, MA, USA. (Invited Speaker)

 

Fan, Q., Kunwar, S., Young, M., Santra, S., Jones, J. B., & Paret, M. 2018. Novel Copper-Composites for Management of Bacterial Spot of Pepper Caused by Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP), Boston, MA, USA. Oral Presentation

 

M. Paret, S. Kunwar, R. Sikirou, B. Agnassim, B. Adamou. Improving Knowledge of Farmers on Vegetable Plant Diseases and Management in West Africa. 2018. Workshop on Improving Nutrition and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa (presenting author). Poster presentation

 

S. Kunwar, F. Iriarte, Q. Fan, E. da Silva, L. Ritchie, S. Nguyen, J. Freeman, R. S. Stall, J. B. Jones, J. Minsavage, J.

Colee, C. Zipfel, D. Horvath, J. Westwood, J.W. Scott, G.E. Vallad, S.F. Hutton, and M.L. Paret. 2017. Transgenic expression of EFR and Bs2 genes for field management of bacterial wilt and bacterial spot of tomato. 31st Annual

Tomato Disease Workshop. Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida. Florida, USA. Oral presentation.

 

S. Kunwar, E. da Silva, F. B. Iriarte, L. Ritchie, D. Clark, J. H. Freeman, R. E. Stall, J. B. Jones, G. V. Minsavage Jr., C. Zipfel, D. M. Horvath, M. Paret, Q. Fan. 2017. Managing bacterial wilt disease of tomato in open field conditions by

improving host resistance through transgenic approach. APS Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, USA. (Poster presented by Qiurong Fan)

 

Q. Fan, S. Kunwar, M. Young, S. Santra, J. B. Jones, and M. L. Paret. 2017. Copper-based Nanomaterials for Management of Bacterial Spot on Pepper Caused by Xanthomonas euvesicatoria. Materials Innovation for Sustainable

Agriculture Center (MISA) Symp. (Poster)

 

S. Kunwar, E. da Silva, F. B. Iriarte, L. Ritchie, D. Clark, J. H. Freeman, R. E. Stall, J. B. Jones, G. V. Minsavage Jr., C. Zipfel, D. M. Horvath, M. Paret, 2017. Transgenic resistance for managing soil-borne bacterial wilt disease of tomato

in open field conditions. Conference on Soil-borne Plant Pathogens, University of California, Davis.

 

S. Kunwar, E.E. da Silva, F. Iriarte, L. Ritchie, D. Clark, J.H. Freeman, R. E. Stall, J. B. Jones, J. Minsavage, C. Zipfel, D. Horvath and M.L. Paret. 2017. Transgenic approach for improving host resistance in tomatoes against bacterial wilt

disease. 15th Biennial Florida Phytopathological Society Meeting. North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy, University of Florida, USA. Oral presentation

 

S. Kunwar, E. da Silva, F. B. Iriarte, L. Ritchie, D. Clark, J. H. Freeman, R. E. Stall, J. B. Jones, G. V. Minsavage Jr., C. Zipfel, D. M. Horvath, M. Paret, 2017. Transgenic expression of pattern recognition receptor EFR in tomato leads to

effective field resistance to bacterial wilt. 31st Annual Tomato Disease Workshop, North Carolina, USA. Oral presentation

 

S. Kunwar, E. da Silva, F. B. Iriarte, L. Ritchie, D. Clark, J. H. Freeman, R. E. Stall, J. B. Jones, G. V. Minsavage Jr., C. Zipfel, D. M. Horvath, M. Paret, 2016. Transgenic expression of pattern recognition receptor EFR in tomato leads to

effective field resistance to bacterial wilt. APS Annual Meeting, Tampa, Florida, USA. Poster Presentation.

 

S. Kunwar, M.L. Paret, J. Freeman, L. Ritchie, S. Olson and J. B. Jones. 2015. Impact of Acibenzolar-S-Methyl on Bacterial Wilt Disease Incidence and Marketable Yield of Grafted Tomatoes. 14th Biennial Florida Phytopathological Society, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Oral presentation

 

S. Kunwar, M.L. Paret, J. Freeman, L. Ritchie, S. Olson and J.B. Jones. 2015. Effect of Integrating Grafting and Acibenzolar-S-Methyl Application on Bacterial Wilt Disease Incidence and Marketable Yield of Tomatoes. Statewide Graduate Research Symposium, University of Central Florida, Poster.

 

S. Kunwar, M. L. Paret, J. Freeman, L. Ritchie, S. Olson and J. B. Jones. 2015. Integrating grafting and Acibenzolar-S-Methyl (ASM) application for management of bacterial wilt disease of tomato. Plant Pathology Departmental Series,

University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Oral presentation

 

S. Kunwar, M. L. Paret, J. B. Jones, L. Ritchie and S. Olson. 2014. Management of bacterial wilt of tomato with a combination of grafting and a systemic acquired resistance inducer. (APS/CPS) Joint Meeting. Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. Oral presentation

 

S. Kunwar, M. L. Paret, J. B. Jones, L. Ritchie and S. Olson. 2014. Effect of Integrating Grafting and Acibenzolar-S-Methyl Application on Bacterial Wilt Disease Incidence and Marketable Yield of Tomatoes. Third Annual Graduate Research Symposium, Everglades Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Belle Glade, FL. Poster Presentation.).

International Meetings / Workshops

Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., Archer, L., Alferez, F., Albrecht, Ute, Batuman, O. 2023. Injecting Oxytetracycline: An Effective Approach for Managing HLB Disease in Citrus. 12th International Congress of Plant Pathology. Lyon, France. August 20-25 (Poster Presentation).

 

Kunwar, S., Dossoumou, M. E., Sikirou, R., Honfoga, J., Srinivasan, R., Carter, M. D., Steidl, O., Hayes, M. M., Allen, C., Paret, M. 2023. Diversity of strains of Ralstonia solanacearum species complex in Benin in West Africa. 12th International Congress of Plant Pathology. Lyon, France. August 20-25 (Poster Presentation).

 

Batuman, O., Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., Manker, D., Iott, M., Knobloch, T., Brunet, S., and Dufour, J. 2023. Novel Plant Defense Inducers for Managing Huanglongbing (Citrus Greening) and Citrus Canker Diseases. 12th International Congress of Plant Pathology. Lyon, France. August 20-25 (Poster Presentation).

 

Batuman, O., Britt, K., Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., and Alferez, F. 2022. Potential management tools for Huanglongbing (HLB) in Florida citrus groves. XIV International Citrus Congress 2022. Mersin, Turkey.

 

Batuman, O., Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., Manker, D., Iott, M., Knobloch, T., Brunet, S., Dufour, J. 2022. Novel systemic acquired resistance (SAR) inducers for managing Huanglongbing (citrus greening) and citrus canker diseases.

International Horticultural Congress. Angers, France.

 

Batuman, O., Britt, K., Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., and Alferez, F. 2022. Florida citrus growers’ potential ‘toolbox’ for Huanglongbing (HLB) management: an alphabet soup (ISVs, PDIs, IPCs, NATI etc.). 15th International Symposium of Plant Virus Epidemiology. Epidemiology and management of plant viruses under a changing climate. 5th-8th June. Madrid, Spain

 

S. Kunwar., Hsu, Y-C., Lu S-F., Hanson, P. 2019. Evaluation of bacterial wilt resistance sources for presence of major resistance genes Bwr-12 and Bwr-6, and as potential sources of new resistance QTLs. 2019. International Society for

Horticultural Science VI International Symposium on Tomato Diseases, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan. (Oral presentation by P. Hanson)

 

S. Kunwar, E. da Silva, F. B. Iriarte, L. Ritchie, D. Clark, J. H. Freeman, R. E. Stall, J. B. Jones, G. V. Minsavage Jr., C. Zipfel, D. M. Horvath, M. Paret, 2016. Transgenic resistance for management of tomato bacterial wilt in Florida. 5th

International Symposium on Tomato Diseases. Malaga, Spain. (Poster presented by M. Paret)

 

S. Kunwar, M. L. Paret, J. B. Jones, L. Ritchie and S. Olson. 2014. Integrating grafting and actigard applications for management of bacterial wilt of tomato. 2014. 29th Annual Tomato Disease Workshop, Windsor, Canada. (Oral presentation).

Non-Refereed Proceeding & Featured Magazine Articles

Batuman, O., Kunwar, S., Redondo, A. 2022. The quest for copper alternatives for managing citrus canker.

Citrus Industry Magazine. AgNet Media. <https://citrusindustry.net/2022/02/14/the-quest-for-copper-alternatives-for-managing-citrus-canker/>

 

Laird, T., Kunwar, S., Batuman, O., Lindow, S., Godfrey, K., and Leveau, J. 2022. Citrograph Vol 13, No. 2

< https://citrus-research-board-static.sfo2.digitaloceanspaces.com/citrograph/pdf/CRB-Citrograph-Mag-Q2-Spring-2022-Web.pdf>

 

Batuman, O., Britt, K., Kunwar, S., Redondo, A., and Alferez, F. 2022. Potential management tools for Huanglongbing (HLB) in Florida citrus groves. Acta Hortic (XIV International Citrus Congress 2022. Mersin, Turkey).

 

S. Kunwar, M. Paret, J. B. Jones, L. Ritchie, S. Olson, and J. Freeman. 2015. Effect of acibenzolar-s-methyl on bacterial wilt incidence of grafted tomatoes. Florida Tomato Institute Proceedings.

Grant Funding

Successfully secured a $100,000 grant from the Citrus Research and Development Fund (CRDF) by serving as the co-principal investigator (co-PI) on the grant proposal, dedicated to finding a substitute for antimicrobial 'oxytetracycline' against citrus greening bacteria in case the bacterium develops resistance.

Extension & Web Publications

S. Kunwar, M. Paret, J. B. Jones, L. Ritchie, S. Olson, and J. Freeman. (2015) Managing bacterial wilt in tomatoes with grafting and a plant defense inducer. University of Florida IFAS Extension publication. <http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2015/09/11/managing-bacterial-wilt-in-tomatoes-with-grafting-and-a-plant-defense-inducer/>

Pathogen Profile for Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, causal agent of bitter rot in variety of crops <http://wiki.bugwood.org/Colletotrichum_gloeosporioides>

Pathogen Profile for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, white mold https://wiki.bugwood.org/Sclerotinia_sclerotiorum

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Extension Activities

Training local farmers in Rwanda on production of selected fruit trees,July 15, 2018

During the two weeks training, the local farmers in Rwanda were provided the seedlings of citrus and mangoes and made aware of how including the fruit trees in their farm may help them to increase their income and improve environment. The project was implemented in Mayange Sector, Bugesera District, Rwanda.

"Plant get sick too!" Workshop for secondary school science educators.

May 20, 2017

Our bacteriology team had a great time demonstrating and teaching about various bacterial diseases of tomato and other vegetables to the high school science educators. The participants learned from other UF faculty and graduate students about various topics on plant pathology including hands-on activities, and tours of research facilities and the plant disease diagnostic facility. 

Art and Garden Fall Family Festival at the North Florida Research and Education Center

Providing on-site detection of plant pathogens at the Art and Garden Fall Family Festival at the North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy, University of Floirda. 

Second Annual Plant Pathology Workshop at the North Florida Reserach and Education Center

June 23, 2016

We introduced middle and high school science teachers about plant pathology and had fun playing different plant pathology games with them. 

Women In Science Workshop

July 23, 2015

Encouraging young girls to join STEM field in future! The workshop is conducted annually at the North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy

Leadership

President

Nepalese Student Association at University of Florida

Nepalese Student Association at University of Florida

Vice-President

Plant Pathology Graduate Student Organization at University of Florida

Plant Pathology Graduate Student Organization at University of Florida

Founder

Biotech Association of Nepal for Research and Development

Biotech Association of Nepal for Reserach and Development

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Professional Associations & Services

  • Reviewer - Australasian Plant Disease Network
  • Reviewer - Crop Protection     
  • Reviewer - European Journal of Plant Pathology·     
  • Reviewer - HortTechnology     
  • Reviewer - International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Agronomy     
  • Reviewer - Plant Disease     
  • Reviewer - Plant Health Progress     
  • Reviewer - Plant Physiology and Biochemistry     
  • Reviewer - Agronomy     
  • Member - American society of Plant Biology (ASPB)     
  • Member - American Phytopathological Society (APS)
  • Founder/Member - Biotechnology Association ofNepal for R&D                                            


Get in touch

Growers, extension agents, industry partners, and researchers—connect with us for diagnostic support, training, research collaboration, or field-site partnerships.