MacDONALD, James D.
Professor of Plant Pathology and
Executive Associate Dean,
College of Agriculture and Environmental Science

Department of Plant Pathology
University of California, Davis 95616

Office Phone: (530) 752-6897
FAX: (530) 752-5674


email: jdmacdonald@ucdavis.edu


  Degree Institution Year Specialization
  B.S. University of California, Davis 1973 Plant Pathology
 
Ph.D. University of California, Davis 1978 Plant Pathology

Area of Specialization
Root diseases; Phytophthora root rots; soil microbiology; role of environmental stress in plant disease; diseases of nursery crops and ornamentals.
Research Statement
My research activities generally emphasize Phytophthora root rots of ornamental and landscape plants. Specific research topics include (1) The role of environmental stress in predisposing plants to Phytophthora root rots, (2) New technologies for disease diagnosis and fungal detection and monitoring in crops (3)  New technologies (e.g., UV‑lasers) for treating recirculated irrigation water to eliminate plant pathogens, and (4)  Electronic technologies for soil pasteurization as an alternative to Methyl Bromide.
Selected Publications

Turfgrass Diseases: Diagnosis and Management. Schumann, G. L., and J. D. MacDonald. 1997.  The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN.

 
Occurrence of Phytophthora Species in Recirculated Nursery Irrigation Effluents.  MacDonald. J. D., M. S. Ali Shtayeh, and J. Kabashima. 1994.  Plant Disease 78:607 611.
 
An Evaluation of Soil Aeration Status Around Healthy and Declining Oaks in an Urban Environment in California.  MacDonald, J. D., L. R. Costello, and T. Berger. 1993.  Journal of Arboriculture 19:209 219.
 
Effect of Phytophthora Root Rot on Na+ Uptake and Accumulation by Safflower.  Weicht, T. R., and J. D. MacDonald. 1992.  Phytopathology 82:520 526.
 
Soil Salinity Enhances Phytophthora Root Rot of Tomato But Hinders Asexual Reproduction by Phytophthora parasiticaSwiecki, T. J., and J. D. MacDonald 1991.  J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 116:471 477.
 
Heat Stress Enhances Phytophthora Root Rot Severity in Container Grown Chrysanthemums.  MacDonald, J. D. 1990.  J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 116:36 41.