Plant Pathology Faculty Pages: Alan A. MacNab

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Alan A. MacNab
Professor of Plant Pathology

219 Buckhout Laboratory
University Park, Pa 16802-4507

Areas of Interest
	Plant pathology extension, diseases of vegetables

Education | Program Interests | Publications | Vegetable Pathology

Education

B.S., Plant Pathology, McGill University
M.S., Plant Pathology, Cornell University
Ph.D., Plant Pathology, Cornell University

Program Interests

I have an extension-research appointment, with vegetable disease management being my major responsibility. Vegetables are high-value-per-acre crops. Until disease-resistant cultivars are developed, control of many diseases will require frequent applications of pesticides. My major aim is to improve disease-control programs while reducing or eliminating adverse environmental effects. My research has focused on control of several diseases of tomato, sweet corn, muskmelon, snap bean, pumpkin, and cucumber, including development of (1) computer-based disease forecasting systems, and (2) computer-generated pesticide-application schedules based on crop microclimatic conditions assessed by means of computer-driven remote sensing equipment.

New computer-based technology allows for more efficient resource development and delivery systems. For example, all extension mail, weekly newsletters, and disease leaflets and recommendations can be transmitted instantaneously to state and county extension offices via e-mail. From there, they can be accessed by growers and industry personnel using their own computer systems. During the growing season, environmental conditions are monitored in widely separate areas of Pennsylvania, and this information, acquired and processed by computer, is used to determine the need for applications of fungicidal sprays on tomatoes. A goal is to improve timing of pesticide applications to control disease more effectively and reduce crop losses more economically with fewer applications, thereby lessening the impact of pesticides on our environment.

Publications

MacNab, A. A., A. F. Sherf, and J. K. Springer. 1983. (Reprinted 1994). Identifying diseases of vegetables. Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, Pa. Pp. 62.

Sherf, A. F., and A. A. MacNab. 1986. Vegetable diseases and their control. John Wiley, New York. Pp. 728.

MacNab, A. A. 1992. "Tomato disease forecaster development and use in Pennsylvania." In: Proceedings, 8th Annual Tomato Disease Workshop, Columbus, Ohio. Pp. 22-29.

MacNab, A. A., and V. M. Puri. 1994." Pumpkin varietal reaction to fruit rots following harvest, 1983." Biological and Cultural Tests 9:43.

Gleason, M. L., A. A. MacNab, R. E. Pitblado, M. D. Riker, D. A. East, and R. X. Latin. 1995." Disease-warning systems for processing tomatoes in eastern North America: Are we there yet?" Plant Disease 79:113-21.

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Last modified Wednesday, December 6, 2006