• Teaching
  • Undergraduate Courses
  • Undergraduate Admissions
  • Graduate Courses
  • Graduate Admissions
  • Doctor of Plant Medicine
• Research
  • Biological Control
  • Epidemiology
  • Extension
  • International Programs
  • Mycology & Phytopathogenic Fungi
  • Molecular Plant Pathology
  • Plant Bacteriology
  • Plant Disease Diagnosis
  • Post Harvest Diseases
  • Virology
• Services Offered
  • Florida Extension Plant Disease Clinic
  • Bacterial ID Lab
  • Southern Plant Diagnostic Network
• Publications
  • Plant Pathology Fact sheets & Circulars
  • Plant Protection Pointers
  • Plant Disease Vegetable
  • Management Guide 2004
  • EDIS
  • Departmental Newsletter
• Contact Information
  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • Post-Doctoral Associates
  • Graduate Students
• For Faculty & Staff
  • MyUFL
  • Internal Documentation
  • UF Exchange WebMail
  • Gatorlink WebMail
  • Human Resources
  • Travel Forms
  • IFAS Help Desk
  • UF Library System

Jane E. Polston

Education

Ph.D., UC - Riverside, 1988

Publications

Curriculum Vitae

Lab Web Site

The goal of my research program is to elucidate the biology of and develop effective management strategies for Begomoviruses, whitefly-transmitted single-stranded DNA plant viruses. Begomoviruses negatively impact yields of important food crops throughout the world's tropics and subtropics. Successful management depends upon correct identification of the virus, a knowledge of the biology of the virus, an accurate understanding of the relationship between the virus and the insect vector, and the recognition of host resistance. My research has focused primarily on begomoviruses that infect either bean or tomato. Much of the work has been with Bean golden yellow mosaic virus (BGYMV), Tomato mottle virus (ToMoV), and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV).

I have published on the molecular and biological characterization of begomoviruses (Abouzid, et al., 1992, Polston 1993, McGlashan 1994, McGovern 1994, Urbino 2003, Wu 1996, Rivera Vargas 2001), documented the occurrence and importance of these viruses (Polston 1994, Blair 1995, Polston 1995, Polston and Anderson 1997, Polston 1998, Polston 1999, Momol 1999, Sinisterra 2000, Polston 2002), developed or improved methods for their detection and/or discrimination (Haber 1987, Polston 1989, Polston 1991, Cancino 1995, Rivera Vargas 2001, Abouzid 2001), described the relationship between begomoviruses and the whitefly vector (Polston 1990, Hunter 1996, Wu 1996, Hunter 1998, Hunter 2000), conducted studies on the whitefly vector (Hunter 1996, Hunter 1998, Hunter 2002); described virus epidemiology (McGovern 1994, Polston 1996, Thome 1996, Polston 1999) and have evaluated and described management strategies based on these studies (Cantliffe 1995, Csizinszky 1999, Polston 1999, Murphy 2000, Freitas-Astua 2002, Polston 2003).

One important aspect of begomovirus management is the development of resistance. My program, in cooperation with others, has developed useful resistance to ToMoV and TYLCV through genetic engineering using a pathogen-mediated approach. This work has shown that 2 genes from ToMoV can provide resistance to ToMoV in tobacco, and that 1 of these genes (Rep) can provide very high levels of resistance in tomato. In addition, we have found that a modified Rep gene from TYLCV provides phenotypic immunity to TYLCV in tomato. To date, this success is documented by two patents and two papers (Sinisterra 1999, Yang 2003) and much of the work is still in progress. The resistance to TYLCV is the only known source of phenotypic immunity to this virus, and should prove to be an effective tool in the management of this widely distributed, highly pathogenic virus. In addition, we have identified an elicitor of systemic acquired resistance to a begomovirus (Zehnder 1998, Zehnder 1999 Murphy 2000) and are currently looking at possible pathways that this resistance may use. .I have also assisted in the development of a new source of resistance to BGYMV in Phaseolus vulgaris, obtained from P. coccineus.

In addition to my research with begomoviruses, I have conducted studies on the detection and identification of other vegetable and ornamental viruses (Yang 1996, McGovern 1997, Wintermantel 2001). Currently we are cloning and sequencing a new viroid that causes grassy tuber of caladium (Polston 1991).