Robert J. McGovern - CV

 

Affiliate Department: Plant Pathology

Graduate Faculty Status: Member Graduate Faculty

Date joined UF Faculty: 4/2/90

Education:

Ph.D. Cornell University, 1986, Plant Pathology
M.S., Cornell University, 1983, Plant Pathology
B.A., Fordham University, 1970, History

Departmental Assignment:

Extension - My extension activities have been targeted at improving the diagnostic and disease management skills of ornamental and vegetable growers, master gardeners, the general public, and extension agents through workshops and presentations on plant disease identification and integrated management, and the creation of extension and popular articles which reinforce these goals.

Research - My research is centered around the identification and characterization of economically important diseases of ornamental and vegetable crops in Florida and the Caribbean Region, and the development of integrated systems for environmentally compatible and cost effective disease management. Components of this integrated approach currently under investigation include biological control, host resistance, soil solarization, and chemical control. Other research interests include an examination of interactions among soilborne plant pests including fungi, nematodes and insect larvae, and the potential of indigenous and exotic plants to serve as reservoirs for disease. 

Professional Experience:

  • Director, Plant Medicine Program, and Professor, Plant Pathology Department, University of Florida-IFAS, 2002 – Present
  • Associate Professor, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida-IFAS, 1995 - 2002
  • Assistant Professor, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida-IFAS, Immokalee, FL, 1990 -1995
  • Director, Horticulture and Diagnostic Department, Frank's Nursery and Crafts, Detroit, MI, 1987 -1990
  • Plant Pathologist and Academic Liaison, Flower Time, Inc., Lindenhurst, NY, 1985 - 1987

Research Projects:

  • Characterization of, and development of integrated management practices for, diseases caused by Fusarium species in potted ornamentals and cut-flower production.
  • Development of low-impact, sustainable pest management practices for landscape plants and vegetable crops including the use of soil solarization.
  • Integrated management of diseases of caladium (Caladium x hortulanum), including the elimination of pathogens from seed tubers.
  • Epidemiology and management of Phytophthora blight (Phytophthora capsici) in vegetable crops.

Selected Publications:

McGovern, R. J. and C. S. Vavrina. 2004. Reduction of Fusarium Crown and Root Rot in Tomato by 1,3-dichloropropene plus chloropicrin in Southwest Florida.Soil Crop Sci. Soc. Florida Proc. 63: 96-99.

Elmer, W. H. and R. J. McGovern. 2004. Efficacy of integrating biologicals with fungicides for the suppression of Fusarium wilt of cyclamen. Crop Protect. 23:909-914.

Fegan, R. E., M. T. Olexa, and R. J. McGovern. 2004. Protecting agriculture: The legal basis of regulatory action in Florida. Plant Dis. 88:1040-1043.

McGovern, R. J., F. Harper, C. Douglas, and T. L. Thomas. 2003. Management of soilborne pathogens of field-grown, commercial Brassica oleracea transplants in Bermuda by bed solarization and metam sodium. HortScience 38:239-243.

McGovern, R. J., A. E. Winston, R. E. Rouse, A. W. Welch. 2003. Reduction of defoliation in citrus caused by Mycosphaerella citri with a novel, biorational fungicide. Plant Disease 87:134-137.

Colon-Garay, J., L. Rivera-Vargas, R. J. McGovern, and del P. Rodriquez, R. 2002. Hypovirulent isolates of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides induce resistance to anthracnose in detached mango fruits and seedlings. J. Agric. Univ. Puerto Rico. 84:56-64.

McGovern, R. J., R. McSorley, and M. L. Bell. 2002. Reduction of landscape pathogens in Florida by soil solarization with double-layered plastic mulch. Plant Dis. 86:1388-1395.

McGovern, R. J. 2001. Use of Preplant and Postharvest Immersion for Disease Management in Horticultural Crops. Pages 866-870. In Encyclopedia of Pest Management. D. Pimentel (ed.) Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, NY.  

McSorley, R., and R. J. McGovern. 2001. Effect of rhizobacteria on nematodes associated with impatiens. Soil Crop Sci. Soc. Florida Pro. 60:128-131.

McSorley, R., and R. J. McGovern. 2001. Effects of solarization and ammonium amendments on plant-parasitic nematodes. Suppl. J. Nematology. 32(4S):537-541.

Harbaugh, B. K., and R. J. McGovern. 2000. Susceptibility of forty-six cultivars of lisianthus to Fusarium avenaceum. Hort Tech. 10:816-819.

Carrington, M. E., P. D. Roberts, R. J. McGovern, R. R. Urs, J. J. Mullahey, and T. E. Seijo. 2000. Epidemics of premature fruit drop in saw palmetto (Serranoa repens) caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Florida. Plant Dis. 84:122-125.

McGovern, R. J., H. Bouzar, and B. K. Harbaugh. 2000. Stem blight of Eustoma grandiflorum caused by Sclerotium rolfsii. Plant Dis. 84:490.

McGovern, R. J., R. McSorley, and R. R. Urs. 2000. Reduction of Phytophthora Blight of Madagascar periwinkle by soil solarization in autumn. Plant Dis. 84:185-191.

McGovern, R. J., T. E. Seijo, T. S. Schubert, and B. K. Harbaugh. 2000. Outbreaks of stem and leaf blight of Eustoma grandifloru m c aused by Phomopsis sp. Plant Dis. 84:491.

Seijo, T. E., R. J. McGovern, and A. Marenco de Blandino. 2000. Petal blight of sunflower caused by Itersonilia perplexans. Plant Dis. 84:1153. McGovern, R. J., and T. E. Seijo. 1999. Outbreak of Black Root Rot in Catharanthus roseus caused by Thielaviopsis basicola. Plant Dis. 83:396.

McGovern, R. J., and T. E. Seijo. 1999. Petal blight of Callistephus chinensis caused by Itersonilia perplexans. Plant Dis. 83: 397.

McSorley, R., J. J. Frederick, and R. J. McGovern. 1999. Extraction of Meloidogyne incognita fro m caladium tubers. Nematropica. 29:245-248.

Polston, J. E., R. J. McGovern, and L. G. Brown. 1999. Introduction of tomato yellow leaf curl virus in Florida and implications for the spread of this and other geminiviruses of tomato. Plant Disease 83:984-988.

Roberts, P. D., R. Urs, and R. J. McGovern. 1999. First report of aerial blight of tomato caused by Pythium myriotylum. Plant Dis. 83:301.

Barnard, E. L., E. C. Ash, D. L. Hopkins, and R. J. McGovern. 1998. Distribution of Xylella fastidiosa in oaks in Florida and its association with growth decline in Quercus laevis. Plant Dis. 82:569-572. McGovern, R. J., C. S. Vavrina, J. W. Noling, L. A. Datnoff, and H. D. Yonce. 1998.

Evaluation of different application methods of metam sodium for management of Fusarium crown and root rot in tomato in southwest Florida. Plant Dis. 82:919-923.

McGovern, R. J. and R. McSorley. 1997. Physical methods of soil sterilization for disease management including soil solarization. Pages 283-312. In Environmentally Safe Approaches to Crop Disease Control N. A. Rechcigl and J. E. Rechcigl (eds.). CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL.

McGovern, R. J., J. E. Polston, and B. K. Harbaugh. 1997. Detection of a severe isolate of impatiens necrotic spot virus infecting lisianthus in Florida. Plant Dis. 81:1334.