Emerging Threats to Plant Health: A Discussion on Fusarium Diseases of Garlic With Dr. Alicyn Smart

Emerging Threats to Plant Health: A Discussion on Fusarium Diseases of Garlic With Dr. Alicyn Smart

From Maine Farmcast by University of Maine Cooperative Extension

April 8, 2026 · 20 min · Episode 101

About this episode

Dr. Glenda Pereira discusses emerging threats to garlic health with Dr. Alicyn Smart, focusing on Fusarium diseases and efforts to combat them.

On this episode of the Maine Farmcast, Dr. Glenda Pereira, assistant Extension professor and state dairy specialist for University of Maine Cooperative Extension, talks with Dr. Alicyn Smart, a doctor of plant medicine and plant pathologist and director of the Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Maine. Dr. Smart also is the executive director of the National Plant Diagnostic Network. One goal of the network is to strengthen U.S. agricultural biodefense and enable rapid communication and response to new pathogens. The UMaine Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory has seen an increase in an emerging garlic pathogen, fusarium. Her team has sought funding to address major unknowns about fusarium and hopes to develop resistant garlic, improve diagnostic detection tools and identify cultural practices to reduce the disease in garlic plants. Submit a plant sample to the UMaine Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab: https://extension.umaine.edu/ipm/plant-disease/ Listen to the previous episode with Dr. Alicyn Smart https://extension.umaine.edu/podcasts/maine-farmcast/episode-91/ University of Maine Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity institution and provider committed…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Glenda Pereira

Guest: Dr. Alicyn Smart

Topics covered

  • plant health
  • Fusarium diseases
  • garlic pathogens
  • agricultural biodefense
  • diagnostic tools
  • plant medicine

Keywords

  • Fusarium
  • garlic
  • plant health
  • plant pathology
  • diagnostic laboratory
  • agriculture
  • biodefense

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Maine Cooperative Extension, National Plant Diagnostic Network, UMaine Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory

Places: U.S.

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