Phytopathology
November 2002 • Volume 36 • Number 11
Public Policy Update
News
Exchange • Inform • Connect
Editor-in-Chief: Stephen A. Johnston
Staff Editor: Michelle Bjerkness
Design: Agnes Walker
Advertising Sales: Rhonda Wilkie
Phytopathology News (ISSN 0278-0267) is published monthly
by The American Phytopathological Society (APS) at 3340 Pilot
Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121-2097 U.S.A. Phone:
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Submission Guidelines
Address all editorial correspondence to: Stephen A. Johnston,
Rutgers Ag Research & Ext Center, 121 Northville Road, Bridgeton,
NJ 08302-5919, Phone: +1.856.455.3100, Fax: +1.856.455.3133,
E-mail: johnston@aesop.rutgers.edu. In order to ensure timely publication of your news items and announcements, please send in
material 6 weeks prior to the cover date of submission. Material
should be no more than 6 months old when submitted. Submission
of materials as electronic files, via e-mail, will speed processing. For
information on submitting electronic images contact Agnes Walker
at awalker@scisoc.org. Deadline for submitting items for the
January, 2003 issue is November 15, 2002.
APS Leadership
Officers
President: Jacqueline Fletcher
President-Elect: Gary C. Bergstrom
Vice President: James D. MacDonald
Immediate Past-President: Steven A. Slack
Secretary: Carol A. Ishimaru
Treasurer: John L. Sherwood
Treasurer-Elect: Erik L. Stromberg
Councilors
Senior, at-Large: John H. Andrews
Intermediate, at-Large: Richard Bélanger
Junior, at-Large: Mike A. Ellis
Caribbean Division: Judith K. Brown
North Central Division: Ray Martyn
Northeastern Division: Barbara Christ
Pacific Division: Michael Matheron
Potomac Division: Arvydas Grybauskas
Southern Division: Albert Culbreath
Editors-in-Chief
APS PRESS: Randy C. Ploetz
MPMI: Herman P. Spaink
Phytopathology: Bradley I. Hillman
Phytopathology News: Stephen A. Johnston
Plant Disease: Alan R. Biggs
Plant Health Progress: Timothy D. Murray
The Plant Health Instructor: Gail L. Schumann
Board and Office Chairs and Directors
APS Foundation Chair: Don Mathre
PPB Chair: John L. Sherwood
OEC Director: Jean B. Ristaino
OIP Director: George Abawi
OIR Director: Chris Becker
OPAE Director: Gregory L. Tylka
Scientific Programs Board Director: Erin Rosskopf
Division Officers
Caribbean
President: José Amador
Vice President: Esther Lilia Peralta
Secretary-Treasurer: Miguel Vilchez
North Central
President: Ray Hammerschmidt
Vice President: TBD
Secretary-Treasurer: Anne Dorrance
Northeastern
President: Suha Jabaji-Hare
Vice President: Gary Moorman
Secretary-Treasurer: Ann Brooks Gould
Pacific
President: Jim Adaskaveg
Vice President: Heather Scheck
Secretary-Treasurer: Peter Bristow
Potomac
President: David Clement
Vice President: William Bruckart
Secretary-Treasurer: James Kotcon
Southern
President: Barbara Smith
President-Elect: John Damicone
Vice President: Mike Benson
Secretary-Treasurer: Robert McGovern
© 2002 The American Phytopathological Society
142 Phytopathology News
Procedures for the Annual Revision of the APS
Microbial Genome Sequencing Priority List
Scott Gold, University of Georgia
Where We Were
The Microbial Genome Sequencing Priority List was initiated by the
APS Public Policy Board (PPB) within the context that plant-associated microbes are sorely underrepresented in the genome databases. Lack
of genomic data is limiting progress in plant microbiology research.
Where We Are
The document entitled “Microbial Genomic Sequencing: Perspectives
of The American Phytopathological Society” (www.apsnet.org/media/
ps/top.asp) was developed between 2000 and 2001 by the PPB as a
white paper that includes the rationale and criteria for the development
Scott Gold
of a compiled list of plant-associated microorganisms and an initial list
compiled with input from several pertinent APS subject matter committees. The primary goal was to be a consensus document to enhance applications for funding
in genomic sequencing of plant-associated microorganisms. APS presented this white paper at
the Whitehead Institute’s (WI) Fungal Genome Initiative (FGI) workshop held in Washington,
DC in November 2001. The FGI later produced a white paper listing 15 highest priority fungal species for genomic sequencing including 4 plant pathogens that were also on the APS list.
The current list has been of considerable utility in facilitating programs to obtain funding. For
example, under the primary direction of Ralph Dean a draft sequence for Magnaporthe grisea
has been made publicly available. Additionally, for Fusarium graminearum funding has been
obtained under the primary direction of Corby Kistler, Frances Trail and Jin-Rong Xu for
shotgun sequencing at the WI. Discussions are in progress between WI and the research community for sequencing Ustilago maydis. The list has also been used by the APS Public Policy
Board as the basis for suggesting target species in response to narrow time frame solicitations
from agencies including the DOE and USDA-ARS. In addition, the PPB, obtained support
from DOE, NSF, USDA-ARS, and USDA-NRI, for a workshop on Genomic Analysis of
Plant-Associated Microorganisms in Washington, DC in April 2002 to discuss common
problems, generate a common vision and implement a plan to enhance funding for microbial
sequencing.
Where We Are Headed
Now that a process to make recommendations for priorities in genomics is in place, we must
be vigilant in keeping the list dynamic, current, inclusive and effective.
Prior to the Milwaukee meeting all APS subject matter committees were solicited for input on
structural changes to the list and to determine their interest in taking part in the suggestion
and evaluation of species to be included on the lists. Sixteen committees expressed interest,
including Bacteriology; Biochemistry, Physiology and Molecular Biology; Forest Pathology;
Genetics; Host Resistance; Integrated Pest Management; Mycotoxicology; Mycology;
Nematology; Phyllosphere Microbiology; Plant Disease Losses; Plant Pathogen and Disease
Detection; Seed Pathology; Soil Microbiology and Root Diseases; Turfgrass; and Virology
(www.apsnet.org/members/com/reports.asp).
In addition there were a number of specific issues addressed and suggestions made in response
to this solicitation that were also revisited at the “Forum on Microbial Genome Sequencing
Priorities” held July 29 in Milwaukee. Based on written input and the suggestions provided at
the Forum several steps to improve and maintain the list are proposed below.
1) Revise the list on an annual basis with input through the APS subject matter committees
with organizational assistance and final compilation through a PPB appointed list
manager (currently Scott Gold, sgold@uga.edu).
2) During the current revision cycle carry out the following items:
1. Eliminate numerical rankings of species on the list. Within each taxonomic grouping
of organisms replace these rankings with a maximum list of ten “immediate priority”
species, followed by an additional (up to) twenty-five species within that group as
“high priority.”
2. Update the status of sequencing efforts of genomes on the list by entry of such
information by changing the genome size section to a “genome size/notes” section
on the list.
3. Produce 1-2 page summaries providing details for each included species with the
following sections: i.) general description of the organism; ii.) significance; iii.) genomic
facts; iv.) research community information.
4. Produce phylogenetic trees for the given organisms as part of the above summaries to
additionally help justify the new information likely to be gained by sequencing.
5. Make appropriate changes in the introductory wording to the white paper to make it
more inclusive of uses other than traditional agriculture.
Proposed Procedures for Revision
1) APS members may submit additional species, together with the summary described in 3
above for consideration to one or more committee chairs and to the list manager for
consideration for inclusion. Suggestions will be accepted at any time but the deadline for
consideration for the upcoming annual revision will be 3 months prior to the first day of
the APS annual meeting.
2) Additional committees with interest in the suggested species will be solicited for input in
regards to inclusion and placement of suggested species in the list.
3) The list manager will compile the comments and through the involved committees a
consensus will be reached. The proposed species will (or will not) then be appropriately
placed on the provisionary revised list.
4) Species may be removed from the list, for example when the genome sequence has been
completed or rarely if superseded by another organism.
5) The provisionary revised list will be posted on the APS web page one month prior to the
APS meeting for review and comment.
6) At the annual APS meeting a discussion will be held to address the current form of the list.
7) One month after the APS meeting the finalized revised list will be posted on the APS
web page.
Just as the list of priorities of organisms for sequencing will be dynamic, the
process for identifying those priorities may need to change. If you have recommendations on the procedure that will be followed for the coming year, please
send those to me (sgold@uga.edu) prior to the next upcoming APS annual
meeting and revisions to the process of setting priorities can be discussed as
well as the proposed revisions of the genomic sequencing priorities. ■
Applications Being Accepted for Christine
Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy
Internship
This Internship Program of the National Academies, consisting of the National Academy of
Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research
Council is designed to engage graduate and post-doctoral students in science and technology
policy and to familiarize them with the interactions among science, technology, and government. As a result, students in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, veterinary medicine,
business, and law develop essential skills, different from those attained in academia, that will
help them make the transition from being a graduate student to a professional.
We are pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for our 2003 program.
This year, the internship program will comprise three sessions: Winter: January 13 through
April 4 (12 weeks with a possible 4-week extension); Summer: June 2 through August 8 (10
weeks); and Fall: September 8 through November 26 (12 weeks).
To apply, candidates should submit an application and request their mentor fill out a reference
form. Both are available at http://national-academies.org/internship. The deadline for applications is November 1 for the winter program; March 1 for the summer program; and June 1 for
the fall program. Candidates may apply to all three programs simultaneously.
Changes toSubmission
Procedures for
Phytopathology
Following success of the procedure with
Plant Disease, Phytopathology will be going
exclusively to electronic submissions beginning January 1, 2003. Instructions for
electronic submission to Phytopathology
will soon appear in the journal section of
APSnet and in the January 2003 issue of
Phytopathology. Also effective January 1, all
initial submissions will be directed to the
editor-in-chief, who will assign manuscripts
to senior editors. This latter change is being
implemented to provide a more consistent
and equitable distribution of manuscripts
among senior editors. Any questions regarding these changes of procedure should be
directed to the incoming Editor-in-Chief,
Chris Mundt (mundtc@mail.science.
oregonstate.edu). ■
Important APS Dates
to Remember
November 2002
15 Deadline for committee volunteer
interest. (Send e-mails directly to
the chair of the committee you are
interested in.)
15 JANE Award Proposals postmarked.
25 Membership renewals due for
members with a membership term
that starts January 1.
December 2002
12 Deadline for submission of
F&N and B&C Reports to section
editors for review and approval.
January 2003
15 APS Awards Nominations postmarked to Awards Committee.
15 I.E. Melhus Student Speaker
Symposium applications due.
February 2003
8 Frank L. Howard Undergraduate
Fellowship applications due.
25 Deadline for final submission of
F&N and B&C Reports, including online submission form and
payment.
Additional details about the program and how to join our mailing list are also available on the
website. Questions should be directed to internship@nas.edu. ■
Phytopathology News 143