Katie Duttweiler is a M.S. candidate working on the sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) fungal complex of apples. The objective of her research is to develop tools to improve the ecological understanding and management of SBFS by developing a new method of pathogen identification using molecular tools and refining a disease warning system. Due to slow mycelial growth, infrequent sporulation, and sensitivity to disinfestants, SBFS fungi are difficult to isolate and identify. Considering the high level of diversity, a process circumventing culturing requirements is necessary for efficient and reliable identification. She is working on a method of identifying SBFS fungi using restriction analysis of the internal transcribed spacers of ribosomal DNA. At this point, the work has demonstrated that restriction with one enzyme can discriminate the majority of SBFS fungi to genus. Katie is also working on refining a disease-warning system for SBFS. The current system was developed in North Carolina, refined in Kentucky, and uses leaf wetness duration (LWD) to predict the first appearance of SBFS sign. It may be necessary to alter the system to accommodate for the climatic differences between the Southeast U.S. and the Upper Midwest. Therefore, in addition to LWD, other variables (rainfall, relative humidity and temperature) will be analyzed to determine if they more accurately predict the first appearance of signs. The goal is to develop a consistently reliable disease warning system that is adapted to the Midwest climate and SBFS pathogens.
Katie is originally from upstate New York. She graduated from Cornell University in 2003 with a BS in plant sciences. Her plan for the future includes stimulating employment in the field of agricultural research. In her free time, she enjoys singing in a local community choir and taking walks.