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Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory: Beltsville, MD
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**The Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory** *Welcome to the MPPL Lab:* Where we create ***innovative strategies to manage and control agriculturally important plant diseases***caused by: **Phytoplasmas**
**Spiroplasmas**
**Bacteria, Viruses & Viroids**
**Insect Pests**
**Fungi** Click **here** to view the legacies of MPPL's retired scientists !!!
 Viroids are small RNA molecules that cause many agriculturally important diseases in vegetable and woody crops worldwide. Scientists in MPPL are studying the interaction of viroids with their plant hosts in order to introduce resistance to these small RNA pathogens and reduce crop losses.  **Read more in *Agricultural Research Magazine*:**  -VIROIDS!—From Scourge to Boon in the 21st Century?  ***Photo Credit: *Dr. Rosemarie W. Hammond, Research Plant Pathologist****
 An Interactive Online Research Tool for Phytoplasma Identification, Classification, and Candidatus Species Assignment. **Read more in the *Microbiology Society Journal*:** *-Construction of an interactive online phytoplasma classification tool, iPhyClassifier, and its application in analysis of the peach X-disease phytoplasma group (16Srlll)*
 A Model for Understanding Phytoplasma-Induced Alterations of Plant Growth Pattern and Architecture. **Read more in *National Academy of Science*and *APS* Journals:** -Phytoplasmal infection derails genetically preprogrammed meristem fate and alters plant architecture -New symptoms identified in phytoplasma-infected plants reveal extra stages of pathogen-induced meristem fate-derailment
 Alfalfa is the most extensively cultivated forage legume in the world. Alfalfa productivity has often been limited by various biotic and abiotic components in the ecosystem. In MPPL, we  study emerging disease-causing pathogens of Alfalfa and genetic basis of the plant's resistance to them. This research help to prevent potential threats to Alfalfa production and improve Alfalfa adaptability to less favorable environmental conditions. **Read more of our recent research:** -Characterization of alfalfa virus F, a new member of the genus Marafivirus. -Alfalfa virus S, a new species in the family Alphaflexiviridae.


Mission


People Bottner, Kristi Cabrera-Woscek, Julia Cating, Robert Ding, Fang Grinstead, Sam Hammond, Rosemarie Klink, Vincent Kovalskaya, Natalia Lashley, Leisel Nemchinov, Lev Nian, Siji Postnikova, Olga Roy, Avijit Wei, Wei Yuan, Qing Zhao, Yan


Northeast Area   rose.hammond@usda.gov


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