Following the 17^th International Fusarium Laboratory Workshop this past week, Professor David Geiser presented a special seminar at FABI on June 8. The Director of the Fusarium Research Center at Pennsylvania State University, Prof. Geiser was one of 13 expert instructors who led the workshop. He is also the curator of the largest collection of cultures of Fusarium in the world.

His talk, “Two Fusarium Stories” focused on different aspects of the Fusarium species. Prof. Geiser discussed the classification of Fusarium xylarioides, the causal agent of coffee wilt disease, which has caused extensive losses in African countries that grow coffee for export such as Uganda. Prof. Geiser also delved into the symbiotic relationship between Fusarium and ambrosia beetles, focusing on Euwallacea validus and evidence that points to a relationship that has co-evolved.