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Plant Pathology Faculty
PAUL A. BACKMAN
Professor of Plant Pathology
  221 Buckhout Laboratory
University Park, Pa 16802-4507
Phone: 814-865-6687
E-mail: pbackman@psu.edu
Areas of Interests:
  Biological Control of Plant Diseases, Agrosecurity, Sustainable Agriculture
Education | Program Interests | Publications | Personal Page

Education:
B.S., Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA
Ph.D., Plant Pathology, Minor in Plant Physiology, University of California, Davis, CA
Program Interests:

Paul Backman has been in the department for almost 10 years as a professor of biological control.  He is presently the coordinator of the AgroEcology undergraduate curriculum
(agroecology@psu.edu ) where he teaches Integrated Pest Management, and senior seminar. Presently he is the major professor to one M.S. and three Ph.D. students.  Key research areas are integrated management of cacao diseases, biological control of Canada thistle, and integrated management of vegetable diseases.  He is presently funded by two US-AID projects (IPM CRSP and SANREM CRSP) that fund research in Ecuador and Bolivia. These projects have received additional support from USDA's Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory.  In addition his research receives funding from a USDA NRI grant on integrated biological control of Canada thistle working in collaboration with USDA/ARS at Fort Detrick Maryland, plus USDA NRCS and FSA cooperators.  

Publications:
Stevens, C., V. Khan, R. Rodriguez-Kabana, L. Ploper, P.A. Backman, D. Collins, J.E. Brown, M. Wilson, & E. Igwegbe. 2003. Integration of Soil Solarization with Chemical, Biological and Cultural Control for the Management of Soilborne Diseases of Vegetables. Plant and Soil 253:493-506.

Elliott, M., E. Des Jardin, W. Batson, J. Caceres, P. Brannedn, C. Howell, M. Benson, K. Conway, D. Rothrock, R. Schneider, B. Ownley, C. Canaday, A. Keinath, D. Huber, D. Sumner, C. Motsenbocker, P. Thaxton, M. Cubeta, P. Adams, P. Backman, J. Fajardo, M. Newman, and R. Pereira. 2001. Viability and Stability of Biological Control Agents Used for Disease Management on Cotton and Snap Bean Seeds. Pest Management Science 57:695-706.

Keinath A., W. Batson, J. Caceres, M. Elliott, D Sumner, P. Brannen, C. Rothrock, D. Huber, M. Benson, K. Conway, R. Schneider, C. Molsenbocker, M. Cubeta, B. Ownley, C. Canaday, P. Adams, P. Backman, and J. Fajardo. 2000. Evaluation of biological seed treatments to improve stand of snap bean across the southern United States. Crop Protection 19(7):501-509.

*Wilson, M.A. and P.A. Backman. 1999. Biological Control of Plant Pathogens. In: Handbook of Pest Management. J. R. Ruberson, Ed. Marcel Dekker, N.Y.

*Backman, P.A., M. Wilson and J.F. Murphy. 1998. Bacteria for Biological Control of Plant Diseases. Pp 95-109. In: Environmentally safe approaches to plant disease control. N.A. Rechcigl and J.E. Rechcigl Eds. CRC/Lewis Press, Boca Raton, FL, 386 p.

Bauske, E.M., P. A. Backman, K.M. Harper, P.M. Brannen, R. Rodriguez-Kabana, & J. W. Kloepper. 1997. Effect of Botanical Aromatic Compounds and Seed-surface pH on Growth and Colonization of Cotton Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria. Biocontrol Science & Technology 7:415-421.

*Backman, P.A. 1997. Agricultural Pesticide Inputs: Now and into the 21st Century. Pp 93-99, In: Proceedings of the RCA III Symposium on Crop and Livestock Technologies. The Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.

*Backman, P. A., and J. C. Jacobi. 1997. Developing thresholds for plant disease management. Pp 114-127 In: Economic Thresholds for Integrated Pest Management. L. Higley and L. Pedigo eds. University of Nebraska Press 356 p.

*Backman, P.A. and T.B. Brenneman. 1997. Stem Rot. Pp 36-37 In: Compendium of peanut diseases, 2nd Ed. Kokalis-Burelle, N., et al Eds. APS Press, St. Paul 94 p.

*Backman, P.A. 1997. Bacillus subtilis. Pp 73-74 In: Compendium of peanut diseases, 2nd Ed. Kokalis-Burelle, N., et al eds. APS Press, St. Paul 94 p.

Zidack, N.K. and P. A. Backman. 1996. Biological Control of Kudzu (Pueraria lobata), with the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola. Weed Science 44:645-649.

Jacobi, J. C., P. A. Backman, and D. P. Davis. 1995. AU-Pnuts leaf spot advisory I: Development of a weather-based system to time leaf spot fungicide applications. Plant Disease 79:666-671.

Jacobi, J. C., and P. A. Backman. 1995. AU-Pnuts leaf spot advisory II: Modification of the rule based system for a partially resistant peanut cultivar. Plant Disease 79:672-676.

*Melouk, H., and P.A. Backman. 1995. Management of Soilborne Fungal Pathogens. Pgs. 75-82. In: Peanut Health Management. H. A. Melouk and F. M. Shokes, Eds. APS Press, St. Paul MN, 117p.

*Backman, P. A., Phillip M. Brannen, and Walter F. Mahaffee. 1994. Plant response and disease control following seed inoculation with Bacillus subtilis. Proceedings of the Third International Workshop on Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria. pp. 3-8. Adelaide, South Australia.

Runion, G.G., Curl, E.A., H.H. Rogers, P. A. Backman, R. Rodriguez-Kabana, and B. E. Helms. 1994. Effects of free-air CO2 enrichment on microbial populations in the rhizosphere and phyllosphere of cotton. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 70:117-130.

*Brannen, Phillip M. and Paul A. Backman. 1994. Suppression of Fusarium wilt of cotton with Bacillus subtilis hopper box formulations. Proceedings of the Third International Workshop on Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria. pp. 83-85. Adelaide, S. Australia.

Jacobi, J. C., and P. A. Backman. 1994. Comparison of yield, value and seed quality factors of Florunner and Southern Runner peanut. Peanut Sci. 21:28-34.

Moar, William, John T. Trumble, Robert H. Hice, and Paul A. Backman. 1994. Insecticidal Activity of the CryIIA Protein from the NRD-12 Isolate of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki Expressed in Escherichia coli and Bacillus thuringiensis and in a Leaf-Colonizing Strain of Bacillus cereus. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 60-3:896-902.

Davis, D. P., J. C. Jacobi, and P. A. Backman. 1993. 24-hour Rainfall, A Simple Variable for Predicting Peanut Leaf Spot Epidemics. Plant Dis. 77-7:722-725.

Jacobsen, Barry J., P. A. Backman. 1993. Biological and Cultural Plant Disease Controls: Alternatives and Supplements to Chemicals in IPM Systems. Plant Dis. 77-3:311-315.

Mahaffee, W. F., and Paul A. Backman. 1993. Effects of Seed Factors on Spermosphere and Rhizosphere Colonization of Cotton by Bacillus subtilis GBO3. Phytopathology 83:1120-1125.

Kokalis-Burelle, N., P. A. Backman, Rodrigo Rodríquez-Kábana, and L. Daniel Ploper 1992. Potential for Biological Control of Early Leafspot of Peanut Using Bacillus cereus and Chitin as Foliar Amendments. Biological Control 3:321-328.

*Backman, P. A., and Jacobsen, B. J. 1992. Soybean Disease Management: Chemical and Biological Control in Temperate Regions. pp. 155-163. In Pest Management in Soybean. (L. G. Copping, M. B. Green, and R. T. Rees, eds.). Elsevier Applied Science, London. 369 p.

*Ploper, L. D., and Backman, P. A. 1992. Nature and Management of Fungal Diseases Affecting Soybean Stems, Pods, and Seeds. pp. 174-184. In Pest Management in Soybean. Elsevier Applied Science, London. 369 p.

Davis, R. F., Backman, P. A., Rodríguez-Kábana, R., and Kokalis-Burelle, N. 1992. Biological control of apple fruit diseases by Chaetomium globosum formulations containing cellulose. Biological Control 2:118-123.

Zidack, N. K., Backman, P. A., and Shaw, J. J. 1992. Promotion of bacterial infection of leaves by an organosilicone surfactant:: implications for biological weed control. Biological Control 2:111-117.

Herbert, D. A., Jr., Mack, T. P., Backman, P. A., and Rodríguez-Kábana, R. 1992. Validation of a model for estimating leaf-feeding by insects in soybean. Crop Protection 11:27-34.

Kloepper, J. W., Mahaffee, W., McInroy, J. A., and Backman, P. A. 1991. Comparative analysis of methods for recovering plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria from roots. Can. J. Microbiol. 37:953-957.

*Mahaffee, W. F., Backman, P. A., and Shaw, J. J. 1991.Visualization of root colonization by rhizobacteria using a luciferase marker. In: PGPR Progress and Prospects. C. Keel, B. Koller, and G. Défago, eds. IOBC/WPRS Bulletin XIV/8:248-251.

*Kloepper, J. W., Mahaffee, W., McInroy, J. A., and Backman, P. A. 1991. Comparative analysis of isolation methods for recovering root-colonizing bacteria from roots. In: PGPR Progress and Prospects. C. Keel, B. Koller, and G. Défago, eds. IOBC/WPRS Bulletin XIV/8:252-255.

*Mahaffee, W. F. and Backman, P. A. 1991. Effects of seed factors on colonization of cotton cultivars by Bacillus subtilis GB-03. In: PGPR Progress and Prospects. C. Keel, B. Koller, and G. Défago, eds. IOBC/WPRS Bulletin XIV/8:346-349.

Turner, J. T. and Backman, P. A. 1991. Factors relating to peanut yield increases after seed treatment with Bacillus subtilis. Plant Dis. 75:347-353.

Paul Backman

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