Professor (70% Research, 20% Teaching, 10% Service) Education: University of Madras, India, B. Sc., 1961; M. Sc., 1963; Ph. D., 1968. Employment: Research Plant Pathologist, Dept. Plant Pathology, Univ. of Calif., Davis, 1968-70 Research Associate, Dept. Plant Pathology, Univ. of Florida, 1971-73 Assistant Professor, Dept. Plant Pathology, Univ. of Florida, 1973-78 Associate Professor, Dept. Plant Pathology, Univ. of Florida, 1978-83 Professor, Dept. Plant Patrol., Univ. of Florida, 1983-Present Responsibilities: Research: Biological control of weeds with plant pathogens and microbial metabolites. Teaching: PLP 3151, Biocontrol of Plant Diseases and Weeds, and PLP 5155, Microbiological Control of Plant Diseases and Weeds. PLP 6921, Plant Pathology Colloquium, and PLP 6932, Plant Pathology Seminar. Supervise graduate research students in their M.S. and Ph.D. research and undergraduates in their research projects. Extension: None. Major Accomplishments: Raghavan "Charu" Charudattan, is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in his field, biological control of weeds. He has built a unique, strong, and productive program of research, graduate education, and international cooperation. He is known for his research contributions to the field of biological control; pioneering studies on the etiology, epidemiology, and host-parasite relationships of diseases of aquatic plants; promotion of the practice of integrated control of weeds; advocacy of the science of biocontrol, and editorship of a respected, multidisciplinary journal, Biological Control. He has built one of the largest and well-supported bioherbicide programs in the world. He has been a leading proponent of the use of bioherbicides (plant pathogens used as inundative biocontrol agents) as a supplement to the conventional weed management methods. He has played an influential role, nationally and internationally, in transforming biocontrol of weeds by using pathogens, an erstwhile subject of mere scientific curiosity, into one of practical reality. The topic of bioherbicides is now routinely included in text books and special treatises on pest control. It is a favorite topic for high school science projects alongside such popular subjects as computer science, electronics, biomedicine, and others. Weed control with bioherbicides is now regarded as a practical alternative to chemical herbicides by regulatory and granting agencies in North America, Europe, Australia, Brazil, Japan, and South Africa. In this regard, Dr. Charudattan's contributions and leadership have helped to set national priorities on research and regulation of biological control. Honors and Awards: Professorial Excellence Program Award, University of Florida, 1998-99 Fellow, Weed Science Society of America University of Florida Research Foundation Professor, 2001-2004 2001 USDA Secretary’s Honor Award Professional Activities: Chair, Technical Committee, Multistate Research Project S-1001, Development of Plant Pathogens for Biological Control of Weeds. Member, Technical Committee, Regional Research Project S-303, Biological Control of Selected Arthropods and Weeds with Introduced Natural Enemies. Founding editor, Biological Control: Theory and Application in Pest Management, an international, multidisciplinary journal published by Academic Press, San Diego, CA. Consultations: Member, Scientific Advisory Board, EcoScience Corporation, Worcester, MA (1989-1995); Member, USDA-CSREES-ESCOP-Biological Control of Weeds Group U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment (1990-1991) IICA/EMBRAPACENARGEN(1992) U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Board on Agriculture, Committee on Biological/Natural Pest Control (1991-1995); National Biological Control Institute, USDAAPHIS (1995-1998) U.N. WHO-Pan-American Health Organization, Mexico (1994); U.N. FAO Consultant and Coordinator, Working Group on Waterhyacinth; USDA-CSREES-CGPNRI Panel Member, Biological Control Program. International Programs: Cooperator in research programs in Brazil (EMBRAPACENARGEN and UNESP), Puerto Rico (Ag. Exp. Sta.), Egypt (Univ. of Mansoura), and IMTA, Mexico. Grants and Contracts: During the last 28 years, he has brought in nearly $ 2.7 million in grants from prestigious national agencies, several Florida state agencies, private companies, and foreign governments. Graduate Students Trained: Current: 3; Career total:10; Member of 40 graduate advisory committees. Postdocs: Career Total: 10 Career Publications since 1966: 4 books 22 book chapters 66 refereed research papers 8 patents 174 non-refereed papers, abstracts, and popular articles Selected Publications: Books: Hardy, R.W.F., Beachy, R.N., Browning, W.H., Caulder, J.D., Charudattan, R., Faulkner, P., Gould, F.L., Hinkle, M.K., Jaffee, B.A., Knudson, M.K., Lewis, W.J., Loper, J.E., Mahr, D.L., and Van Alfen, N.K. 1996. Ecologically Based Pest Management: New Solutions for a New Century. National Research Council, National Acad. Press, Washington, DC. 144 p. Charudattan, R., Labrada, R., Center, T.D., and Kelly-Begazo, C. eds. 1996. Strategies for Water Hyacinth Control. Report of a Panel of Experts Meeting, September 11-14, 1995, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, 217 pp. Book Chapters: Isaacson, D.L. and Charudattan, R. 1999. Biological Approaches to Weed Management. Chapter 22, Pages 593-626 In: J.R. Ruberson, ed. Handbook of Pest Management. Marcel Dekker, New York. Rosskopf, E.N., Charudattan, R., and Kadir, J.B. 1999. Use of Plant Pathogens in Weed Control. Pages 891-918 In: T.W. Fisher, T.S. Bellows, L.E. Caltagirone, D.L. Dahlsten, C. Huffaker, G. Gordh, eds. Handbook of Biological Control. Academic Press, San Diego, CA. Charudattan, R. 2000. Current Status of Biological Control of Weeds. Pages 269-288. In: G.G. Kennedy and T.B. Sutton, eds. Emerging Technologies for Integrated Pest Management: Concepts, Research, and Implementation. Proceeding of a Conference, March 8-10, 1999, Raleigh, NC. APS Press, St. Paul, MN. Charudattan, R. 2001. Biological control of water hyacinth by using pathogens: Opportunities, challenges, and recent developments. Pages 21-28 in: Biological and Integrated Control of Water Hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes. Proceedings of the Second Meeting of the Global Working Group for the Biological and Integrated Control of Water Hyacinth, Beijing, China, 9-12 Oct., 2000. ACIAR Proceedings No. 102. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. Charudattan, R. 2001. Are we on top of aquatic weeds? Weed problems, control options, and challenges. Pages 43-68 in: C. R. Riches (ed.). 2001 BCPC Symposium Proceedings No. 77: The World’s Worst Weeds. The British Crop Protection Council, Farnham, Surrey, U.K. Boyetchko, S.M., Rosskopf, E.N., Caesar, A.J., and Charudattan. R. 2002. Biological weed control with pathogens: Theory to applications. In: G.G. Khachatourians and D.K. Arora (eds.), Applied Mycology and Biotechnology, Volume 2. Applications of Fungal Biotechnology to Food Production, Elsevier Science, The Netherlands. (in press). Charudattan, R., Wyss, G.S., and Chandramohan, S. 2002. Biological Control. In: W.B. Wheeler, Ed., Agriculture and the Environment. Marcel Dekker, New York. In Press. Refereed Research Publications (selected; last five years): Shabana, Y.M., Charudattan, R., DeValerio, J.T., and Elwakil, M.A. 1997. An evaluation of hydrophilic polymers for formulating the bioherbicide agents Alternaria cassiae and A. eichhorniae. Weed Technol. 11:212-220 Pitelli, R.A., Charudattan, R., and DeValerio, J.T. 1998. Effect of Alternaria cassiae, Pseudocercospora nigricans, and soybean (Glycine max) planting density on the biological control of sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia). Weed Technol. 12:37-40. Smither-Kopperl, M.L., Charudattan, R., and Berger, R.D. 1998. Dispersal of spores of Fusarium culmorum in aquatic systems. Phytopathology 88:382-388. Kadir, J.B. and Charudattan, R. 1999. Occurrence of Dactylaria higginsii on purple nutsedge in Florida. Plant Dis. 83:588. Kadir, J.B., Charudattan, R., Stall, W.M., and Bewick, T.A. 1999. Effect of Dactylaria higginsii on interference of Cyperus rotundus with L. esculentum. Weed Sci. 47:682-686. Smither-Kopperl, M.L., Charudattan, R., and Berger, R.D. 1999. Deposition and adhesion of spores of Fusarium culmorum on hydrilla. Can J. Plant Pathology 21:291-297. Smither-Kopperl, M.L., Charudattan, R., and Berger, R.D. 1999. Plectosporium tabacinum, a pathogen of the invasive aquatic weed Hydrilla verticillata in Florida. Plant Dis. 83:24-28. Barreto, R., Charudattan, R., Pomella, A., and Hanada, R. 2000. Biological control of neotropical aquatic weeds with fungi. Crop Prot. 19:697-703. Charudattan, R. 2000. Biological control of weeds by means of plant pathogens: Significance for integrated weed management in modern agro-ecology. BioControl. In press. Charudattan, R. and Dinoor, A. 2000. Biological control of weeds using plant pathogens: accomplishments and limitations. Crop. Prot. 19:691-695. Kadir, J.B. and Charudattan, R. 2000. Dactylaria higginsii, a fungal bioherbicide agent for purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus). Biol. Control. 17:113-124. Kadir, J.B., Charudattan, R., and Berger, R.D. 2000. Effects of some epidemiological factors on levels of disease caused by Dactylaria higginsii on Cyperus rotundus. Weed Sci. 48:61-68. Kadir, J.B., Charudattan, R., Stall, W.M., and Brecke, B.J. 2000. Field efficacy of Dactylaria higginsii as a bioherbicide for the control of purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus). Weed Technol. 14:1-6. Rosskopf, E.N., Charudattan, R., Shabana, Y.M., Benny, G.L. 2000. Phomopsis amaranthicola, a new species from Amaranthus sp. Mycologia 92: 114-122. Rosskopf, E.N., Charudattan, R., DeValerio, J.T., and Stall, W.M. 2000. Field evaluation of Phomopsis amaranthicola, as a biological control agent of Amaranthus spp. Plant Dis. 84: 1225-1230. Tessmann, D.J., Charudattan, R., Kistler, H.C., and Rosskopf, E.N. 2001. A molecular characterization of Cercospora species pathogenic to water hyacinth and emendation of C. piaropi. Mycologia 93:323-334. Chandramohan, S., and Charudattan, R. 2001. Control of seven grasses with a mixture of three fungal pathogens with restricted host ranges. Biol. Control 22: 246-255. Charudattan, R. 2001. Biological control of weeds by means of plant pathogens: Significance for integrated weed management in modern agro-ecology. BioControl 46: 229-260. Tessmann, D.J., Charudattan, R., Kistler, H.C., and Rosskopf, E.N. 2001. A molecular characterization of Cercospora species pathogenic to water hyacinth and emendation of C. piaropi. Mycologia 93: 323-334. Wyss, G.S., Charudattan, R., and DeValerio, J.D. 2001. Evaluation of agar and grain media for mass production of conidia of Dactylaria higginsii. Plant Dis. 85: 1165-1170. Chandramohan, S., Charudattan, R., Sonoda, R.M., and Megh Singh. 2002. Field evaluation of a fungal pathogen mixture for the control of seven weedy grasses. Weed Sci. 50: 204-213. Non-refereed Research Publications (selected; years 2000-2001): Chandramohan, S., Charudattan, R., Megh Singh, Sonoda, R.M. 2000. Biological herbicide to control grasses in citrus. Citrus and Vegetable Magazine. 64(7): 6-8. Chandramohan, S., Charudattan, R., Megh Singh, and Sonoda, R.M. 2000. Multiple pathogen strategy: a novel approach for bioherbicidal control of several weeds. Abstracts, Third International Weed Science Congress - IWSC, Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, June 6-11, 2000. Abstract No. 383, p. 182-183. Charudattan, R. 2000. Water hyacinth: A global menace. Abstracts, Third International Weed Science Congress - IWSC, Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, June 6-11, 2000. Abstract No. 449, p. 215. Charudattan, R., Wyss, G.S., Chandramohan, S., Rosskopf, E.N., Kadir, J.B., DeValerio, J.T., Yandoc, C., Vincent, A.C., Tessmann, D.J., Pettersen, M.S., and Elliott, M.S. 2000. Bioherbicides for Amaranthus spp., Cyperus rotundus, grass weeds, Solanum viarum, and Eichhornia crassipes: a status report. Programme and Abstracts, V International Bioherbicide Workshop, International Bioherbicide Group, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. p. 9-11. DeValerio, J.T., Charudattan, R., Mullahey, J.J., Roberts, P.D., McHenry, F., and Sherrod, W.H. 2000. Development of the bacterium, Ralstonia solanacearum [Smith] Yabuuchi et al., as a biocontrol agent for Solanum viarum Dunal. Abstracts, Third International Weed Science Congress - IWSC, Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, June 6-11, 2000. Abstract No. 381, p. 181-182. Pereira, W., Tessmann, D.J., and Charudattan, R. 2000. Analysis of genetic variation in Cyperus rotundus accessions using molecular markers. Abstracts, Third International Weed Science Congress - IWSC, Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, June 6-11, 2000. Abstract No. 102, p. 47. Pettersen, M.S., Charudattan, R., Hiebert, E., Zettler, F.W., and Elliott, M.S. 2000. Tobacco mild green mosaic tobamovirus strain U2 causes a lethal hypersensitive response in Solanum viarum Dunal (tropical soda apple). WSSA Abstracts 40:84. Vincent, A.C., and Charudattan, R. 2000. Evaluation of a combination of two pathogens as a potential bioherbicide for Eichhornia crassipes [Mart.] Solms-Laub. under field conditions. Abstracts, Third International Weed Science Congress - IWSC, Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, June 6-11, 2000. Abstract No. 453, p. 217. Walker, A. and Charudattan, R. 2000. Evaluation of fungal isolates for use as biological control agents of waterhyacinth Eichhornia crassipes. FWSS Abstracts 23rd Annual Meeting. Wyss, G.S., and Charudattan, R. 2000. Interactions of various pesticides with Phomopsis amaranthicola, a biocontrol agent of Amaranthus species. WSSA Abstracts 40:29-30. Wyss, G.S. and Charudattan, R. 2000. Infection process of Phomopsis amaranthicola on Amaranthus spp. and implications for their biological control. Page 187 in: Alfölid, T., Lockeretz, W. and Niggli, U. (eds.). Proceedings 13th International IFOAM Scientific Conference, Aug. 25-27, 2000, Basel. IOS Press, IFOAM, FiBL, Frick, Switzerland. Yandoc, C.B., Charudattan, R., and Shilling, D.G. 2000. Influence of spore concentration, adjuvant concentration, and bioherbicide application rate on the field efficacy of Bipolaris sacchari (E. J. Butler) Shoemaker as a biocontrol agent for Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. Abstracts, Third International Weed Science Congress - IWSC, Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, June 6-11, 2000. Abstract No. 373, p. 178. Charudattan, R., DeValerio, J.T., and Pettersen, M.S. 2001. Biological control of tropical soda apple with plant pathogens and integration of biological control with other management options. WSSA Abstracts 41: in press. Patents: Charudattan, R., Shabana, Y., DeValerio, J.T., and Rosskopf, E.N. 1995. Broad-spectrum bioherbicide to control several species of pigweeds and methods of use. U.S. Patent Number 5,393,728. Charudattan, R., Shabana, Y., DeValerio, J.T., and Rosskopf, E.N.1995. Phomopsis species fungus useful as a broad-spectrum bioherbicide to control several species of pigweeds. U.S. Patent Number 5,510,316. Kadir, J. and Charudattan, R. 1997. Control of Cyperus spp. with a fungal pathogen. U.S. Patent No. 5,698,491. December 16, 1997. Chandramohan, S., and Charudattan, R. 2001. Enhanced bioherbicidal control of weeds using multiple pathogens. U.S. Patent No. 6,265,347 B1. July 24, 2001.