Christian A. Wyenandt

Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology

Rutgers Cooperative Extension

New Jersey Agricultural Experimental Station

Rutgers University

Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center

121 Northville Road

Bridgeton, NJ 08302

(856) 455-3100 ext 4144

1. Education:

Ph. D., Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, March 2004

Dissertation title: ‘Fusarium fruit rot (Fusarium spp.) of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) and its control with cover crop mulches’

M.S., Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, March 1999

Thesis title: “Assessing an integrated disease management strategy for processing tomatoes in Ohio.”

B.S., Plant Science, Cornell University, January 1996

Associate of Applied Science, Nursery Management, The Ohio State University/Agricultural Technical Institute, Wooster, Ohio 1993

Associate of Applied Science, Greenhouse Production & Management, The Ohio State University/Agricultural Technical Institute, Wooster, Ohio 1993

2. Professional Experience/Employment History

2011 - Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers University, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

2005 - Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers University, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

3. Major areas of Expertise: Disease control in vegetable production, fungicide use, fungicide resistance management.

4. A short biosketch of Research and Extension Activities: Areas of applied research include running field trials to help determine the most effective fungicide programs for managing important diseases of vegetable crops in New Jersey and the mid-Atlantic region. Recent research by the vegetable pathology lab includes examining the effects of various fungicide programs on phytophthora blight (Phytophthora capsici) and anthracnose fruit rot (Collectotrichum spp.) control in bell pepper. In addition, we test fungicide programs for control of downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) and powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) of cucurbits; and anthracnose fruit rot, early blight (Alternaria solani) and septoria leaf spot (Septoria lycopersici) in tomatoes. Another important focus of our program has been to examine the effects of cultural practices, environmental conditions and cultivar on the development of ‘silvering’ or skin separation in bell pepper fruit. Our basil research program is actively breeding resistance to basil downy mildew in sweet basil and evaluating conventional and organic fungicides for its control.

5. Honors/Service:

The Early Career Award - 2010. Presented by the Northeast Division of the American Phytopathological Society for significant, early career contributions to plant pathology.

American Phytopathological Society (APS), Northeast Division APS (NED-APS)

  • Secretary/Treasurer (2010); Vice President NED-APS (2011); President (2012)
  • Graduate Award Committee, NED-APS (2006-2009)
  • Resistance Management Committee – APS (2009 - present)

7. SelectedPeer-Reviewed Publications:

Pyne, R.M., Koroch, A.R., Wyenandt, C.A., and Simon, J.E. 2015. Inheritance of Resistance to DownyMildew (Peronospora belbahrii) in Sweet Basil. J. AMER. SOC. HORT. SCI. 140(5):1-8.

Wyenandt, C. A., Simon, J. E., Pyne, R. P., Homa, K., McGrath, M. T., Zhang, S., Raid, R. N., Ma, Li-Jun,Wick, R., Guo, Li, and Madeiras, A. 2015. Basil downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii): Discoveries andchallenges relative to its control. Phytopathology 105:885-894.

Pyne, R.M., Koroch, A.R., Wyenandt, C.A., and Simon, J.E. 2014. A rapid screening approach to indentifyresistance to basil downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii). Hortscience 49:1041-1045.

Homa, K., Barney, W.P.,Ward, D.L., Wyenandt, C.A., and Simon, J.E. 2014. Evaluation of fungicides for thecontrol of Peronospora belbahrii on sweet basil in New Jersey. Plant Dis. 89:1561-1566.

W. E. Fry, M. T. McGrath, A. Seaman, T. A. Zitter, A. McLeod, G. Danies, I. Small, K. Myers, K. Everts, A.Gevens, B. Gugino, S. Johnson, H. Judelson, J. Ristaino, P. Roberts, G. Secor, K. Seebold, K. Snover-Clift, A. Wyenandt, N.J. Grunwald, and C. D. Smart. 2013. The 2009 late blight pandemic in the Eastern United States- Causes and results. Plant Dis. 97:296-306