Session Announcement:
Detection and quantification of Botrytis species - modern technologies

Keynote speaker: Dr Frances Dewey (Molly)

Details of the speaker:
Dr Frances M. Dewey (Molly), Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3RB and Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California at Davis, One Shields Av, Davis, CA 95616
E-Mail: molly@fmdewey.com

Biography:
1961: Ph.D on Verticillium Wilt of tomatoes, Imperial College of Science and Technology, UK.
1961-63: Post Doctoral position in Biochemistry at University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.
1973-83: Lecturer in Microbiology at Sage College, Albany, NY, USA.
1983-1986: Research at University of Durham, UK - Production of monoclonal antibodies to Ceratocystis ulmi, and species of Aspergillus and Penicillium.
1986- 2001: Senior Research Fellow, Department Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, UK – Development of specific-monoclonal antibody-based immunoassays for the detection and quantification of plant pathogenic and opportunistic fungi.
1998: Regents' Lecturer at the University of California, Davis, Fall Semester.
2001-2006: Research Plant Pathologist/immunologist in Department of Viticulture and Enology at University of California at Davis, funded by the Californian Department of Food and Agriculture.
2007 onwards: based at Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3RB working in collaboration with diagnostic companies Forsite, at CSL, Sand Hutton, UK and Envirologix, Portland, Maine, USA. Research focuses on development and testing of rapid lateral flow devices for the detection and quantification of Botrytis in grape berries and other plant tissues and the relationship between B. cinerea and the production of laccase in grapes.

Detection and Quantification of Botrytis session:
Botrytis species, particularly B. cinerea, cause serious losses in a wide variety of crop plants and also considerable postharvest spoilage of flowers, fruits and vegetables. To reduce these losses, methods of detecting infections (latent infections) before they become apparent are needed, as are methods to quantify the load of air-borne spores in glass houses and polythene tunnels and spores deposited on the surfaces of flowers and fruits. Modern technologies have been developed and are now being tested that can be used to quickly detect pre-symptomatic infections. These technologies, particularly monoclonal antibody-based immunoassays and real time PCR are yielding useful information. When results from these tests are combined with environmental parameters that affect the rate of disease development, they will enable growers to reduce losses by targeting fungicide applications and making informed decisions about storage and marketing. New methods of trapping and rapid quantification of air-borne spores will be addressed. Presentations will include the advantages and limitations of the new technologies in relation to older plating techniques and to their specificities. Discussions will centre on the need for comparative standards and the establishment of meaningful thresholds of fungal biomass in infected plants.

View/download abstract (MS Word):
Dr Frances M. Dewey (Molly) - Detection and Quantification of Botrytis species- an overview of modern technologies

Important Symposium Dates

13 Aug: Authors will be advised whether their abstracts have been accepted to be included in the programme as an oral or poster presentation. Please note that the Scientific Committee reserves the right to make changes to the programme.

20 Aug: Deadline for Early Bird registration and accommodation reservations at special Symposium rates.

7 Sept: Final day for registration and payment of presenting authors. We do, however, urge authors to register and pay their registration fee by 20 August in order to qualify for the early bird registration fee. PLEASE NOTE that abstracts by presenting authors who have not registered and paid by 7 September, will be removed from the official programme and book of abstracts.

1 Oct: Final day for Secretariat to receive registrations.

21 - 26 Oct: 14th International Botrytis Symposium.

Please contact the Symposium Secretariat should you require any information or assistance.
Tel + 27 21 886 4496 Fax +27 21 883 8177
Email: conf@conferencesetal.co.za and deidre@iafrica.com

Conferences et al
P O Box 452
Stellenbosch
7599
Tel 27 21 886 4496
Fax 27 21 883 8177
Website: www.conferencesetal.co.za

For more information on the The XIV International Botrytis Symposium please visit the website at
http://academic.sun.ac.za/botrytis2007

Main sponsor: Bayer CropScience

Sponsors:
BASF, DFPT Research, Inqaba Biotech, Sigma-Aldrich, Separation Scientific, Cape Biotech, Philagro, ABSA, Winetech, SAWWV, NRF

Exhibitors:
Bayer CropScience, Inqaba Biotech, BASF, Separation Scientific, Pocket Diagnostics, FieldClimate