Professor (60% Extension, 40% Research) Education: University of Minnesota, M.S. (1965) & PhD (1969) Kent State University, B.S. (1962) Employment: Professor, Plant Pathol. Dept., Univ. of Florida, 1980­ Associate Professor, Plant Pathol. Univ. of Florida, 1975­1980 Assistant Professor, Plant Pathol. Univ. of Florida, 1970­1975 NSF Traineeship, Plant Pathol. Univ. of Minnesota, 1968­1969 Instructor, Plant Pathol., Oklahoma State Univ., 1965­1968 Res. Asst. Plant Pathol., Univ. of Minnesota, 1962­1965 Responsibilities: Extension & Research: My primary areas of study and practice include diagnosis and control of plant diseases of agronomic and vegetable crops. My Extension & research activities are highly integrated to achieve a more efficient mission-oriented program. Major Scientific & Educational Accomplishments I have provided educational information to the public on integrated systems for control of plant diseases and crop production via field tests, demonstrations, publications, and invited lectures to agribusiness clientle in Florida and other states. Some of my specific accomplishments include: 1) Operated and developed the Plant Disease Clinic from 1970 to 1988. 2) Developed banded foliar spray application techniques for control of CBR and southern stem rot, two soil-borne diseases of peanut. 3) Developed low spray drift techniques for foliar fungicides that also maximize levels of disease control. 4) Identified resistant cultivars for soil­borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV). 5) Made pedigree selections of wheat with good agronomic characteristics with resistance to SBWMW, leaf rust and powdery mildew (currently in advanced breeding tests in cooperation with Dr. Ron Barnett in Agronomy). 6) Joint author on release of the new Bermudagrass cultivar Florakirk. 7) Conducted cooperative research and Extension programs with numerous plant pathologists, commerical industry personnel, government agencies, and commodity groups, (e.g Farm Bureau) on the diagnosis and control of bacterial fruit blotch of watermelon. 8) With graduate students, we have identified and quantified components of resistance to both early and late peanut leafspots. 9) With a multiyear demonstration, developed a complete sanitation program for control of black rot of crucifiers. Honors and Awards 1991 Certificate of Appreciation from agricultural producers of Palm Beach County 1993 The Excellence in Extension Award from The American Phytopathological Society 1994 Extension Educational Award from the American Society of Horticultural Science 1994 Extension Publication Award from the Southern Region, American Society for Horticultural Science Professional Activities and Services ­ President Southern Division of the American Phytopathological Society (prior vice president, program chairman), 1983 . ­ President of the Florida Phytopathological Society (prior vice president, program chairman, & secretary), 1995­1997. ­ Team Leader of agronomic crops for the USDA National Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program (NAPIAP) ­ ARS department reviews at Cornell (1983) and Oklahoma State University (1992) ­ American Phytopathological Society representative for the proposed National Institute for the Environment ­ Departmental and college-wide faculty advisory committees ­ Seed Committee in The American Phytopathology Society ­ Numerous national, regional, state, departmental, and scientific society committes related to commodity production, organization, or service, some of which I served as chairman. Extramural Funding >$500,000 Graduate Students Career Total 6 Served or am serving on numerous graduate student committees Career Publications 195 Extension originals (not including revisions or interdisiplinary production guides) 33 Research abstracts 39 Research refereed journal articles, chapters, etc. (22 officially refereed.) Select Publications ­ A series of 34 disease diagnostic fact sheets and circulars with 253 color pictures for agronomic and vegetable crops. ­ A series of 19 mimeo Plant Protection Pointers with information on disease control programs for specific crops, correct use of sanitation, viral diseases, correct use of pesticide application technique, etc. ­ Plant Disease Control Guide ­ Kucharek, T.A. 1995. Pesticide application techniques for peanuts health management. Book chapter. In Peanut Health Management. APS Press. pp 93­106. ­ Kucharek, T. 1995. Use of new technology for solving watermelon fruit blotch and viral diseases of squash. In Proc. Tenth Ann. North Carolina Vegetable Expo. 7:19 - Kucharek, T.A., R. Hoover, J. Minsavage, R. Stall, and D. Hopkins. 1995. Control of watermelon fruit blotch in Florida. In FACTS Vegetable Crop Proc. pp 39­40. ­ Kucharek, T.A. and J. Atkins. 1993. Occurrence and control of cylindrocladium black rot in peanuts in Florida. Soil Crop Sci. Soc. Florida Proc. 52:17­20 ­ Kucharek, T.A., F.M. Shokes, and D.W. Gorbet. 1991. Considerations for spraying foliar fungicides to control plant diseases as exemplified by studies in Florida from 1969 to 1989 on the control of peanut leafspot. Bull. 269. 31 pp. ­ Kucharek, T.A. 1987. Rainfall, irrigation water and temperatures associated with first occurrences of tobacco blue mold in the leaf production area of north Florida from 1979 to1984. Plant Disease 71:336­339. ­ Kucharek, T.A., R.E. Cullen, R.E. Stall, and B. Llewellyn. 1986. Chemical control of foliar diseases of peanuts, peppers, and onions as affected by spray nozzle type, nozzle orientations, spray intervals, and adjuvants. Plant Disease 70:583­586. ­ Kucharek, T.A. 1985. The education service performed by diagnoses of dysfunctions associated with samples of agronomic crops received by the Florida Plant Disease Clinic from 1970 to 1984. Soil and Crop Sci. Soc. of Florida Proc. 45:109­115. Select Field Demonstrations and Tests in last five years Evaluation of transgenic squash with resistance to select cucurbit viruses. Evaluation of peanut varieties for resistance to Cylindrocladium black rot (CBR). Evaluation of induced plant disease resistance with Actigard for control of blue mold of tobacco. Evaluations of foliar applied fungicides and techniques for control of southern stem rot and Cylindrocladium black rot of peanut. Evaluations of wheat varieties and pedigrees for resistance to soil­borne wheat mosaic virus.