Marvin E. Miller
Professor and Experiment Station Plant Pathologist, Department of Plant Pathology Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Research & Extension Center, 2415 E. Highway 83, Weslaco, Texas 78596
Phone: 956-968-5585 FAX: 956-969-5620
Marvin Miller received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. Plant Pathology from the University of Florida.
My research interests center on the etiology, epidemiology, and host-pathogen relationships of diseases of vegetable crops in South Texas and development of methods to control these diseases. Many of my research projects are team efforts including other plant pathologists, breeders, entomologists, and graduate students.
Recent research activities have centered on determining the cause of a vine decline/root rot disease complex of cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon. A unique fungus, Monosporascus cannonballus, was identified as the major causal agent in the complex. Partial host range, distribution, growth conditions, pathogenicity of the fungus, and disease suppression with fumigation have been determined. Future research will include development of diagnostic tools and breeding lines with resistance or tolerance to the fungus.
My research program on carrot and onion diseases has resulted in control programs that utilize fungicides more efficiently, identification of sources of resistance to Alternaria porri, collection of data for registration of additional efficacious fungicides for purple blotch control, and identification of many of the factors involved in the increase and spread of purple blotch. We recently determined that there is an interaction between feeding by Thrips tabaci and infections by A. porri on yield of onion bulbs. Additionally, we have released onion varieties with high levels of resistance to Pyrenochaeta terrestris and a carrot variety with resistance to A. dauci.
Selected Publications:
- Monosporascus root rot/vine decline - An emerging disease of melons worldwide. Martyn, R.D. and M.E. Miller. Plant Disease (In press). (1996).
- An overview of vine decline diseases of melons. Miller, M.E., R.D. Martyn, B.R. Lovic, and B.D. Bruton. Proceedings of Cucurbitaceae 94. Evaluation and enhancement of cucurbit germplasm. pp. 31-35. (1995).
- Detection and identification of Monosporascus spp. with genus-specific PCR primers and nonradioactive hybridization probes. Lovic, B.R., V.A. Valadez, R.D. Martyn, and M.E. Miller. Plant Disease 79:1169-1175. (1995).
- Sequence analysis of the ITS regions of rDNA in Monosporascus spp. to evaluate its potential for PCR-mediated detection. Lovic, B.R, R.D. Martyn, and M.E. Miller. Phytopathology 65:655-661. (1995).
- Enhancement of purple blotch disease of onion by thrips injury. In THYSANOPTERA; Toward Understanding Thrips Management. Cartwright, B, C.L. McKenzie, M.E. Miller, P. Perkins-Veazie, and J.V. Edelson. Bruce L. Parker, Margaret Skinner, and Trevor Lewis (Eds.). Plenum Press, NY. pp 203-208. (1994).
- An expanded host range for the muskmelon pathogen Monosporascus cannonballus. Mertely, J.C., R.D. Martyn, and M.E. Miller. Plant Disease 77:667-673. (1993).
- Quantification of Monosporascus cannonballus Ascospores in three commercial muskmelon fields in south Texas. Mertely, J.C., R.D. Martyn, M. E. Miller. Plant Disease 77:766-771. (1993).