Baum lab alum, William Rutter, USDA ARS Nematologist Recently Featured in USDA Video on Guava Root Knot Nematode Research

Recently, USDA ARS Nematologist, and Baum lab alum, William Rutter was featured in a YouTube video segment on his research into the Guava Root Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii.   In the video, Dr. Rutter highlights the reasons for studying M. enterolobii, which is becoming a major threat in the southeastern U.S. on sweet potato, as well as other vegetable crops, along with soybean and cotton.   It is a recent invasive species in this growing region, and much is needed in the way of basic research in understanding how to control this pathogen.   Dr. Rutter's research is aiming to develop new germplasm which will hopefully lead to new resistant varieties of crops to help combat the nematode.