Chuanxue Hong

Professor of Plant Pathology 1444 Diamond Springs Road Virginia Beach, VA 23455 Phone: (757) 363-3908 Fax: (757) 363-3950 E-Mail: chhong2 at vt.edu

Education| Research Interests| Research Support| Experience| Selected Publications

Education

• Ph.D. Plant Pathology. Beijing Agricultural University. Beijing, China. 1990
• M.S. Plant Pathology. Beijing Agricultural University. Beijing, China. 1987
• B.S. Plant Protection. Anhui Agricultural College. Hefei, China. 1982

Research Interests

Water shortage, economic globalization, and agri-bioterrorism are critical issues that the ornamental crop nursery and landscape management industry faces in the 21st century. The mission of our laboratory is to address these common concerns in the areas of plant disease management. Our research interests encompass both applied and basic aspects of plant pathology. Current areas of interest are:

• biology and management of plant pathogens in recycling irrigation systems including pathogen characterization, aquatic ecology, epidemiology, economic thresholds, and innovative control strategies
• development of pathogen identification and detection technology to facilitate interstate and international movement of plant materials and to safeguard the nursery and landscape management industry
• intra- and inter-species communication
• stress physiology
• fungicide resistance of Phytophthora species

Selected Research Support

• USDA
• EPA
• Virginia Agricultural Council
• Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association
• Floral Industry Research and Scholarship Trust
• Horticultural Research Institute
• Individual Nurseries and chemical companies

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Experience

• Professor of Plant Pathology. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Beach, VA. 2010 to present
• Associate Professor of Plant Pathology. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Virginia Beach, VA. 2005 to 2010
• Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Virginia Beach, VA. 1999 to 2005
• Research Plant Pathologist. University of California, Davis, CA. 1995 to 1999
• Rothamsted International Fellow. Rothamsted Experimental Station. Harpenden, UK. 1994 to 1995
• Research Fellow. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. Hyderabad, India. 1993 to 1994
• Associate Professor of Plant Pathology. Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Beijing. China. 1993
• Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology. Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Beijing. China. 1990 to 1992
• Extension Specialist of Plant Protection. National Extension Service, Anhui, China. 1982 to 1984

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Selected Publications

1. Hong, C. X., Gallegly, M. E., Richardson, P. A., and Kong, P. 2010. Phytophthora pini Leonian resurrected to distinct species status. Mycologia (In Press)
2. Kong, P., Tyler, B. M., Richardson, P. A., Lee, B. W. K., Zhou, S. H., and Hong, C. X. 2011. Zoospore interspecific signaling promote plant infection by Phytophthora species. BMC Microbiology (In Press)
3. Ahonsi, M. O., Doan S., Demuren, A., Banko, T. J., Copes, W. E., and Hong, C. X. 2010. Effects of hydrostatic pressure, agitation and CO2 stress on Phytophthora nicotianae zoospores in simulated recycled irrigation water. Pest Management Science 66:696-704
4. Hao, W., Richardson, P. A., and Hong, C. X. 2010. Foliar blight of annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus) caused by Phytophthora tropicalis in Virginia. Plant Disease 94:274
5. Hong, C. X., Gallegly, M. E., Richardson, P. A., Kong, P., Moorman, G. W., Lea-Cox, J. D., and Ross, D. R. 2010. Phytophthora hydropathica, a new species isolated from irrigation water, Rhododendron catawbiense and Kalmia japonica. Plant Pathology 59:913-921
6. Hu, J. H., Hong, C. X., Stromberg, E. L., and Moorman, G. W. 2010. Mefenoxam sensitivity in Phytophthora cinnamom isolates. Plant Disease 94:39-44
7. Kong, P. and Hong, C. X. 2010. Zoospore density-dependent behaviors of Phytophthora nicotianae are autoregulated by extracellular products. Phytopathology 100:632-637
8. Kong, P., Lee, B. W. K., Zhou, Z. S., and Hong, C. X. 2010. Zoosporic plant pathogens produce bacterial autoinducer-2 that affects Vibrio harveyi quorum sensing. FEMS Microbiology Letters 303:55-60
9. Lea-Cox, J. D., Zhao, H., Ross, D. S., Bilderback, T. E., Harris, J. R., Day, S. D., Hong, C. X., Yeager, T. H., Beeson, R. C. Jr., Bauerle, W. L., Ristvey, A. G., Lorscheider, M., Dickinson, S., and Ruter, J. M. 2010. A nursery and greenhouse online knowledge center: learning opportunities for sustainable practice. HortTechnology 20:509-517
10. Parkunan, V., Johnson, C. S., Bowman, B. C., and Hong, C. X. 2010. First report of Phytophthora inundata associated with a latent infection of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) in Virginia. Plant Pathology 59:1164
11. Parkunan, V., Johnson, C. S., Bowman, B. C., and Hong, C. X. 2010. Population structure, mating type and mefenoxam sensitivity of Phytophthora nicotianae in Virginia tobacco fields. Plant Disease 94:1361-1365
12. Ghimire, S. R., Richardson, P. A., Moorman, G. W., Lea-Cox, J., Ross, D. S., and Hong, C. X. 2009. An in-situ bioassay for detecting Phytophthora species in irrigation runoff containment basins. Plant Pathology 58:577-583
13. Hong, C. X., Gallegly, M. E., Browne, G. T., Bhat, R., Richardson, P. A., and Kong, P. 2009. The avocado subgroup of Phytophthora citricola constitutes a distinct species, Phytophthora mengei sp. nov. Mycologia 101:833-840
14. Hong, C. X., Lea-Cox, J. D., Ross, D. R., Moorman, G. W., Richardson, P. A., Ghimire, S. R., and Kong, P. 2009. Containment basin water quality fluctuation and implications for crop health management. Irrigation Science 27:485-496
15. Kong, P., Moorman, G. W., Lea-Cox, J. D., Ross, D. S., Richardson, P. A., and Hong, C. X. 2009. Zoosporic tolerance to pH stress and its implications for Phytophthora species in aquatic ecosystems. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 75:4307-4314
16. Gallegly, M. E., and Hong, C. X. 2008. Phytophthora: Identifying Species by Morphology and DNA Fingerprints. APS Press, St. Paul, MN, USA. 158p.
17. Guha Roy, S., and Hong, C. X. 2008. The first finding of Pythium root rot and leaf blight of elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus campanulatus) in India. Plant Pathology 57:369.
18. Hong, C. X., Gallegly, M. E., Richardson, P. A., Kong, P., and Moorman, G. W. 2008. Phytophthora irrigata sp. nov., a new species isolated from irrigation reservoirs and rivers in eastern United States of America. FEMS Microbiology Letters 285:203-211.
19. Hong, C. X., Richardson, P. A., and Kong, P. 2008. Pathogenicity to ornamental plants of some existing species and new taxa of Phytophthora from irrigation water. Plant Disease 92:1201-1207.
20. Hu, J. H., Hong, C. X., Stromberg, E. L., and Moorman, G. W. 2008. Mefenoxam sensitivity and fitness analysis of Phytophthora nicotianae isolates from Virginia nurseries. Plant Pathology 57:728-736.
21. Umesha, S., Kong, P., Richardson, P. A., and Hong, C. X. 2008. Bacterial blight of Iris caused by Pseudomonas syringae in Virginia. Plant Pathology 57:1176.
22. Umesha, S., Richardson, P. A., Kong, P., and Hong, C. X. 2008. A novel indicator plant to test the hypersensitivity of phytopathogenic bacteria. Journal of Microbiological Methods 72:95-97.
23. Ahonsi, M. O., Banko, T. J., and Hong, C. X. 2007. A simple in-vitro 'wet-plate' method for mass production of Phytophthora nicotianae zoospores and factors influencing zoospore production. Journal of Microbiological Methods. 70:557-560.
24. Ho, H. H., Gallegly, M. E., and Hong, C. X. 2007. Redescription of Phytophthora melonis. Mycotaxon 102:339-345.
25. Hu, J. H., Hong, C. X., Stromberg, E. L., and Moorman, G. W. 2007. Effect of propamocarb hydrochloride on mycelial growth, sporulation and infection by Phytophthora nicotianae isolates from Virginia nurseries. Plant Disease 91:414-420.
26. Banko, T. J., Richardson, P. A., and Hong, C. X. 2006. Effect of zoospore concentration and application pressure on foliage blight of Catharanthus roseus caused by Phytophthora nicotianae. Plant Disease 90:297-301.
27. Bush, E. A., Stromberg, E. L., Hong, C. X., Richardson, P. A., and Kong, P. 2006. Illustration of key morphological characters of Phytophthora species identified in Virginia irrigation water. Plant Health Progress. doi:10.1094/PHP-2006-0621-01-RS.
28. Ho, H. H., Hong, C. X., and Erwin, D. C. 2006. Phytophthora inundata from diseased alfalfa roots in California . Mycotaxon 97:349-358
29. Hong, C. X. 2006. Downy mildew of Rudbeckia fulgida cv. Goldsturm by Plasmopara halstedii in Virginia. Plant Disease 90:1461.
30. Hong, C. X., Richardson, P. A., Kong, P., Jeffers, S. N., and Oak, S. W. 2006. Phytophthora tropicalis isolated from diseased leaves of Pieris japonica and Rhododendron catawbiense and found in irrigation water and soil in Virginia. Plant Disease 90:525.
31. Hong, C. X., and Marston, C. D. 2005. Collar rot of Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis caused by Phytophthora cactorum in Virginia. Plant Disease 89:430.
32. Hong, C. X., and Moorman, G. W. 2005. Plant pathogens in irrigation water: challenges and opportunities. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 24:189-208.
33. Hong, C. X., Richardson, P. A., and Kong, P. 2005. Foliar and shoot blight of Forsythia x intermedia caused by Phytophthora nicotianae in Virginia. Plant Disease 89:433.
34. Kong, P., Richardson, P. A, and Hong, C. X. 2005. Direct colony PCR-SSCP for detection of multiple pythiaceous oomycetes in environmental samples. Journal of Microbiological Methods 61:25-32.
35. Banko, T. J., and Hong, C. X. 2004. Evaluation of nutrient phosphite for the control of Phytophthora shoot blight on annual vinca. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 22:41-44.
36. Kong, P., Richardson, P. A., Moorman, G. W., and Hong, C. X. 2004. Single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis of ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 for rapid species identification with the genus Pythium. FEMS Microbiology Letters 240:229-236.
37. Kong, P., Hong, C. X., Tooley, P. W., Ivors, K., Garbelotto, M., and Richardson, P. A. 2004. Rapid identification of Phytophthora ramorum using PCR-SSCP analysis of ribosomal DNA ITS-1. Letters in Applied Microbiology 38:433-439.
38. Moorman, G. W., Hong, C. X., and Richardson, P. A. 2004. First report of Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands on Ilex glabra in Virginia. Plant Disease 88:1283.
39. Bush, E. A., Hong, C. X., and Stromberg, E. L. 2003. Fluctuation of Phytophthora and Pythium species in components of a recycling irrigation system. Plant Disease 87:1500-1506.
40. Hong, C. X., and Banko, T. J. 2003. First report on white smut of Gaillardia grandiflora caused by Entyloma polysporum in Virginia. Plant Disease 87:313.
41. Hong, C. X., Richardson, P. A., Kong, P., and Bush, E. A. 2003. Efficacy of chlorine on multiple species of Phytophthora in irrigation water. Plant Disease 87:1183-1189.
42. Kong, P., Hong, C. X., Jeffers, S. N., and Richardson, P. A. 2003. A species-specific polymerase chain reaction assay for rapid detection of Phytophthora nicotianae from irrigation water. Phytopathology 93:822-831.
43. Kong, P., Hong, C. X., and Richardson, P. A. 2003. Rapid detection of Phytophthora cinnamomi using PCR and primers derived from the Lpv storage protein genes. Plant Pathology 52:681-693.
44. Kong, P., Hong, C. X., Richardson, P. A., and Gallegly, M. E. 2003. Single-strand-conformation polymorphism of ribosomal DNA for rapid species differentiation in genus Phytophthora. Fungal Genetics and Biology 39:238-249.
45. Hong, C. X., Richardson, P. A., and Kong, P. 2002. Comparison of filter membranes as a tool for isolating pythiaceous species from irrigation water. Phytopathology 92:610-616.

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Additional Information