Research Plant Pathologist
Anna Testen, Ph.D.
1680 Madison Ave., Wooster Ohio 44691
(330) 641-2862
Anna Testen works to develop environmentally safe and economically viable disease management strategies in horticultural crops, with an emphasis on controlled environment agriculture (CEA). New detection technologies and cultural practices are being developed to enhance disease management, encourage grower adoption of ecologically-based disease management practices, and to assist plant diagnosticians, extension personnel, and other scientists in the identification and study of plant pathogens. Ongoing objectives of Dr. Testen’s research program include:
1) identifying and quantifying pathogens associated with diseases in CEA;
2) studying the biology, ecology, and epidemiology of plant pathogens to assess disease risk and develop synthetic pesticide-free disease management strategies;
3) assessing the impact of environmental factors on management efficacy;
4) evaluating effects of management on soil or substrate microbial populations and disease severity; and
5) developing systems to detect and manage oomycete pathogens in hydroponic and irrigation systems.
The goal of this research is to reduce the effects of diseases in horticultural crop production and maximize grower returns through reduced pesticide use, increased productivity, and decreased crop losses. This research is conducted in support of National Program 305.
Current projects include 1) optimizing anaerobic soil disinfestation for managing soilborne diseases in high tunnel vegetable production and cut flower production, 2) assessing non-chemical methods to manage Pythium root rot in hydroponic production and 3) developing diagnostics assays to improve detection of pathogens in protected culture.
Anna Testen: Google Scholar, LinkedIn
Research Experience:
2020-present Research Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS Application Technology Research Unit, Wooster, OH
2019-2020 Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station Ames, IA
2017-2018 Post-Doctoral Researcher, The Ohio State University, Department of Plant Pathology, Wooster, OH
Education:
2017 PhD, The Ohio State University, Plant Pathology
2012 MS The Pennsylvania State University, Plant Pathology and International Agriculture and Development
2009 BS University of Minnesota, Microbiology and Environmental Horticulture
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- A quantitative real-time PCR method to detect the quinoa downy mildew pathogen, Peronospora variabilis -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Testen, A.L., Puri, P., Shaw, R.S., Domsic, E.C., Griffin-Lahue, D., Murphy, K.M., Mattupalli, C. 2024. A quantitative real-time PCR method to detect the quinoa downy mildew pathogen, Peronospora variabilis. Plant Disease. 108(9):2887-2893. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-23-2308-RE.
- Mitigating emerging and re-emerging pathogens and diseases of fruit and vegetable crops in a changing climate -(Review Article)
Miller, S.A., Testen, A.L., Jacobs, J.M., Lewis Ivey, M.L. 2024. Mitigating emerging and re-emerging pathogens and diseases of fruit and vegetable crops in a changing climate. Phytopathology. 114(5). Article 917. https://doi.org/10.1094/phyto-10-23-0393-kc. - Evaluation of anaerobic soil disinfestation to reduce soilborne diseases in soilless and soil-based substrates for specialty cut flower production -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Gutierrez Yanez, D., Testen, A.L., Peduto Hand, F. 2023. Evaluation of anaerobic soil disinfestation to reduce soilborne diseases in soilless and soil-based substrates for specialty cut flower production. Plant Disease. 108(4):908-919. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-23-0857-RE. - Microbial community structure in soilless substrates used for nursery crops -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Valles-Ramirez, S., Altland, J.E., Testen, A.L., Poelstra, J.W., Michel Jr, F.C. 2023. Microbial community structure in soilless substrates used for nursery crops. HortScience. 58(11):1348-1357. https://doi.org/10.21273/hortsci17275-23. - First Report of diaporthe fruit rot and stem canker of hydroponic cucumber caused by Diaporthe sp. in the United States -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Moodispaw, M.R., Rotondo, F., Mckemy, J., Testen, A.L. 2023. First Report of diaporthe fruit rot and stem canker of hydroponic cucumber caused by Diaporthe sp. in the United States. Plant Disease. 107(11). Article 3638. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-23-1214-PDN. - A quantitative PCR method to detect the tomato corky root rot pathogens, Pseudopyrenochaeta lycopersici and Pseudopyrenochaeta terrestris -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Testen, A.L., Shaw, R.S., Rotondo, F., Moodispaw, M., Miller, S.A. 2023. A quantitative PCR method to detect the tomato corky root rot pathogens, Pseudopyrenochaeta lycopersici and Pseudopyrenochaeta terrestris. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-22-2009-RE. - Evaluation of a proprietary plant extract to suppress bacterial canker and improve yield in hydroponic tomatoes -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Rotondo, F., Khatri, N., Testen, A.L., Miller, S.A. 2023. Evaluation of a proprietary plant extract to suppress bacterial canker and improve yield in hydroponic tomatoes. Plant Health Progress. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-10-22-0112-RS. - Plant growth promoting traits of Bacillus species associated with quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) and lambsquarters (Chenopodium album)
-(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Testen, A.L., Magnus, M.C., Backman, P.A. 2022. Plant growth promoting traits of Bacillus species associated with quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) and lambsquarters (Chenopodium album). Plant Health Progress. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-09-21-0121-RS. - Evaluation of agricultural byproducts and cover crops as anaerobic soil disinfestation carbon sources for managing a soilborne disease complex in high tunnel tomatoes -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Testen, A.L., Rotondo, F., Mills, M.P., Horvat, M.M., Miller, S.A. 2021. Evaluation of agricultural byproducts and cover crops as anaerobic soil disinfestation carbon sources for managing a soilborne disease complex in high tunnel tomatoes. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 5. Article 645197. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.645197. - Maintaining and ensuring plant health in seed germplasm collections: an applied plant pathology perspective-(Book / Chapter)
Testen, A.L. 2021. Maintaining and ensuring plant health in seed germplasm collections: an applied plant pathology perspective. Book Chapter. In: Volk GM (Ed.) Addressing pathology issues in plant genebanks.Available from https://colostate.pressbooks.pub/plantgenebankpathology/chapter/maintainingandensuringplanthealth/ - On-farm evaluations of anaerobic soil disinfestation and grafting for management of a widespread soilborne disease complex in protected culture tomato production -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Testen, A.L., Bosques Martinez, M., Jimenez Madrid, A., Deblais, L., Taylor, C.G., Paul, P.A., Miller, S.A. 2020. On-farm evaluations of anaerobic soil disinfestation and grafting for management of a widespread soilborne disease complex in protected culture tomato production. Phytopathology. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-07-20-0288-R. - First report of quinoa anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum nigrum and C. truncatum in the United States -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Pal, N., Testen, A.L. 2021. First report of quinoa anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum nigrum and C. truncatum in the United States. Plant Disease. 105(3):705. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-20-1568-PDN. - First report of Xanthomonas hortorum causing bacterial leaf spot of lavender (Lavandula × intermedia) in Ohio -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Rotondo, F., Testen, A.L., Horvat, M.M., Roman-Reyna, V., Klass, T.L., Jacobs, J.J., Miller, S.A. 2020. First report of Xanthomonas hortorum causing bacterial leaf spot of lavender (Lavandula × intermedia) in Ohio. Plant Disease. 105(2):484. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-20-1684-PDN.
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Sustainable Production and Pest Management Practices for Nursery, Greenhouse, and Protected Culture Crops In-House Appropriated (D) Accession Number:438340 Biological Approaches to Mitigate Biofilm-Associated Food Safety Risks in Indoor Leafy Greens Production Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement (R) Accession Number:444194 SOD: Solutions for Organic farm Diseases: suppressing soilborne pathogens in vegetable high tunnels Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement (R) Accession Number:446585 Identifying and Managing Soilborne Pathogens in High Tunnel Vegetable Production Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement (S) Accession Number:440902
