Welcome to the Plant Pathology Laboratory in Bushland, Texas. As a member of Texas A & M AgriLife Research, the lab was established in 1986 by Dr. Charles Rush with a 100% research appointment. The lab is designed to conduct research on economically important diseases of crops produced in the Texas Panhandle.
All studies are conducted under the direction of Dr. Charlie Rush.
The Plant Pathology Research Lab conducts research with relevance to immediate needs by providing leadership in addressing emerging and long-term plant disease. The Texas Panhandle is home to a variety of crops, including wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, cotton, grain sorghum, silage, soybeans, corn and hay. This variety of regional and nationally important crops makes the Plant Pathology Research Lab at Bushland best situated to focus on the ecology and epidemiology of economically important plant pathogens and their vectors.
The Plant Pathology Lab at Bushland, Texas was designated as a member of the Great Plains Diagnostic Network (GPDN) in 2002. The lab’s current association with the GPDN relates to development of new techniques for pathogen and disease detection and quantification. The lab continues to provide plant disease diagnostic services, as it has since its inception.
The wide experience of the personnel in Dr. Rush’s lab gives it the unique ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams contributing valuable research for solutions to economically debilitating crop diseases.
At this time the lab is working on three major diseases, and doing extensive research on vegetable production techniques, such as protected agricultural systems, which can extend the growing season, maximize yield and quality, and optimize water-use efficiency.
- High Tunnel/High Plains Vegetable Program
- Mite Vectored Virus Diseases of Wheat – Wheat streak mosaic and Triticum mosaic
- Fungal Vectored Virus Diseases of Sugar Beet – Rhizomania
- Zebra Chip (ZC) of Potato
Service Activities
These include presentations at field days, crop tours, commodity research meetings, and growers meetings. Lab personnel routinely give tours to various groups such as scouts, elementary and high school classes, visiting scientists, etc. We provide disease diagnostic services to local producers, ag industry personnel, and crop consultants. We also provide technical assistance and diagnostic materials and supplies for detection of BNYVV and BSBMV to scientists around the world. We help kids with science fair projects and frequently serve as judges at local school science fairs. Cantaloupes, corn and tomatoes and other produce in season are picked and delivered to local charity groups.
