Themis Michailides

Dr. Themis Michailides

Position Title
Plant Pathologist, Lecturer

Kearney R&E Ctr
Bio

My current research involves in the monitoring and quantification of fungal latent infection of fruit tree and nut crop pathogens, and innovative ecological, epidemiological and fungal disease management approaches of major crops, such as almond, pistachio, walnut, and pomegranate. In addition, fungal resistance monitoring and reasoning are continuous research lines in my program. Almost 50% of my research studies involved in identifying factors affecting aflatoxin and ochratoxin contamination of pistachio, almond and fig and the biological control of aflatoxin by using atoxigenic strains of Apergillus flavus. In the past, we studied the epidemiology of brown rot in stone fruit, Botrytis gray mold of kiwifruit, fig endosepsis of figs, Mucor rot of stone and pome fruit, and Alternaria rot and Colletotrichum dieback of citrus.

Research Interests & Expertise
  • Etiology, Etiology, ecology, epidemiology, prediction, and integrated management of above-ground fungal diseases and postharvest diseases of tree fruit and nut crops and vines in San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys
  • Understanding and management of fungicide resistance. Preharvest aflatoxin and ochratoxin contamination in tree nuts (mainly pistachios) and figs
  • Molecular epidemiology and diagnosis of diseases by conventional and molecular procedures
Publications
  • Luo, Y., Niederholzer, F., Camiletti, B.X., and T.J. Michailides. 2023. Survey of latent infection of canker-causing pathogens in budwood and young trees from almond and prune nurseries in California. Plant Disease 107(accepted and in First Look Plant Disease J.)
  • Avenot, H., Vega, D., Arpaia, M.-L., and T.J. Michailides. 2023. Prevalence, identity, pathogenicity, and infection dynamicsof Botryosphaeriaceae causing avocado branch canker in California. Phytopathology 113:1034-1047. https://doi.og/10.1094/PHYTO-11-21-0459-R.
  • Camiletti, B.X., Lichtemberg, P.S.F., Paredes, J.A., Carraro, T.A., Velascos, J., and T.J. Michailides. 2022. Characterization of Colletotrichum isolates causing Colletotrichum dieback of citrus in California. Phytopathology 112:1454-1466; https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-10-21-0434.-R .
  • Moral, J., Garcia-Lopez, M.T., Camiletti, B., Jaime, R., Michailides, T.J., Bandyopadhyay, R., and A. Ortega-Beltran. 2020. Present status and perspective on the future use of aflatoxin biocontrol products. Agronomy 10, 491; https://doi:10.3390/agronomy.10040491.
  • Luo, Y., Niederholzer, F.J.A., Felts, D.G., Puckett, R.D., and T.J. Michailides. 2020. Inoculum quantification of canker-causing pathogens in prune and walnut orchards using real-time PCR. J. of Applied Microbiol. 129: 1337-1348; https://doi:10.1111/jam.14702 .
  • Moral, J., Morgan, D., Trapero, A., and T.J. Michailides. 2019. Ecology and epidemiology of diseases of nut crops and olives caused by Botryosphaeriaceae fungi in California and Spain. Plant Disease . https://doi-org/10.1094/PDIS-03-19-0622-RE.