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May 25, 2006 NDSU Plant Pathologist to Receive National Award Marcia McMullen, North Dakota State University Extension Service plant pathologist in the Plant Pathology Department, has been awarded one of the American Phytopathological Society’s highest honors. The Excellence in Extension Award recognizes an APS member for excellence in plant pathology. Individuals given the award have made outstanding contributions by creating, developing or implementing Extension-related programs or materials or who have provided significant leadership in an area of Extension plant pathology. McMullen joined the NDSU Plant Pathology Department in 1984. Her emphasis is on the prediction, understanding and management of cereal and forage diseases. In 1993, her primary concern became Fusarium head blight, or scab. Wet, humid weather that year resulted in a severe scab outbreak. “Marcia was remarkable under high pressure,” says H. Art Lamey, NDSU professor emeritus. “She was involved in just about all aspects of fighting scab and appeared to be the glue that held all of the different scab-fighting projects together.” McMullen became know as an expert on scab disease and was asked to speak at many grower and industry meetings. She also provided information on vomitoxin, a toxin produced by the Fusarium fungi in scab-infected grain, and encouraged new Food and Drug Administration guidelines. “McMullen and others defined the best fungicides and application methods to use to fight scab,” Lamey says. “Producers who had not used a fungicide in the past began doing so. Field trials demonstrated that an economic benefit might occur in some years when scab was not severe, due to leaf disease control. This was a new concept for many producers and changed their thinking about the economics of fungicide use.” McMullen also is an integrated pest management education coordinator. She developed a Web site that reports field surveys of five crops. She has conducted a crop scout school for 21 years. The school still is going strong. "This is the most prestigious national award that our professional society gives for Extension,” says Jack Rasmussen, NDSU Plant Pathology Department chair. “It is wonderful that the excellent work that Marcia does on behalf of North Dakota small-grain producers has been recognized on a national stage.” ### Source: Art
Lamey, (701) 231-8051, alamey@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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