A recording of the Dr. Malmstrom’s presentation “Michigan State University Hop Virus Update” from January’s ONHoppenings webinar is now available by clicking on the link below.

Overview: Join OMAFRA specialists Evan Elford and Melanie Filotas for bi-monthly online Zoom discussions about Ontario hops. Building on the successful 2020 season webinars, Evan and Melanie will be hosting a series of winter hop discussions with some guest speakers to provide insight into new and exciting areas of hop production, pest management and marketing.

Date: January 25, 2021 Noon-1pm

Topic: Hop Virus Research in Michigan with Dr. Carolyn Malmstrom (MSU)

This month we will be hosting Dr. Carolyn Malmstrom, Michigan State University. Dr. Malmstrom will be providing an overview of her work developing better methods to detect viruses and viroids that can impact hop production in Michigan. 

Background: Dr. Malmstrom is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Biology at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.  Dr. Malmstrom’s research focuses on understanding how the smallest plant-infecting microbes – viruses, viroids and phytoplasmas – move among agricultural and natural communities and influence ecological dynamics. Her lab is using deep-sequencing to explore the diversity of viruses, viroids, and phytoplasmas in plants and insects in several ecosystems, and evaluating the effects of these microbes on plant performance and fitness. Their work with plant microbes has recently taken them to Michigan hopyards where they are developing better methods to detect viruses and viroids that can impact hop production.