Michael Wunsch, Plant Pathologist
The Researcher:
Michael Wunsch has a 70 percent research and 30 percent Extension Service appointment. The North Dakota Legislature created the position during the 2009 session.
Michael assumes leadership of the plant pathology program at the center. He will lead the research program that investigates a broad representation of diseases impacting crop diversity in North Dakota.
His research and Extension programming will continue to represent the collaborations of CREC project leaders and plant pathologists at the Main Station, other RECs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Michael obtained his Ph.D. in May 2010 from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. At Cornell, he studied under the guidance of Gary Bergstrom, the New York state extension field crops pathologist. Michael received a B.S. in biology and a B.A. in economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and he served with the U.S. Peace Corps in Honduras prior to commencing his graduate studies. Michael is originally from Montana. Michael joined the Carrington Research Extension Center in June of 2010 as the Plant Pathologist.
The Research Goals:
The plant pathology program at the Carrington Research Extension Center addresses disease management problems on a wide breadth of crops grown in North Dakota. Research and outreach efforts are currently
focused primarily on:
- improving the management of Sclerotinia diseases in sunflowers, dry edible beans, soybeans, and other broadleaf crops
- addressing disease management problems in lentils, field peas, and chickpeas
- generating independent data on the efficacy of registered foliar fungicides and seed treatment fungicides against diseases of economic importance
- facilitating the registration of new fungicides and the development of new crop varieties with improved disease resistance.
Why it Matters:
Almost all diseases causing economic losses on crops in North Dakota also cause losses in other states and regions of the world. Many of the disease management practices that we help develop are directly applicable to producers in neighboring states (Minnesota, Montana, and South Dakota) and neighboring provinces (Manitoba and Saskatchewan). They are often also applicable with minor adjustments to producers in other regions.
Contact Information:
Michael.Wunsch@ndsu.edu
NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center
663 Hwy. 281 NE
PO Box 219
Carrington, ND 58421
701-652-2951
fax 701-652-2055
