• Welcome to the
    CSU Potato Program Website!
    • Contact Us:
    • San Luis Valley Research Center: 719-754-3594
    • Potato Certification Service: 719-754-3496
Welcome to the Potato Pathology Program

Plant Pathology

Welcome to the Potato Pathology Program

Plant Pathology Home

Plant Pathology Program Leader

Mohamad Chikh-Ali                                                    

Research Professor/Extension Specialist – Plant Pathology
San Luis Valley Research Center
Colorado State University
mohamad.chikh-ali@colostate.edu
Office phone: 719-754-3594 x16
Mobile phone: 719-480-4811

Education

PhD: Tokyo University of Agriculture – Plant Pathology
MS: Tokyo University of Agriculture – Plant Pathology
BS: University of Aleppo – Horticultural Sciences

Research Interests

My research and extension programs aim to help growers of the San Luis Valley to make educated decisions on the management of plant diseases of major crops, in particular potato. To achieve the objectives of my research program, I conduct laboratory and field research to address issues facing growers and translate the outcomes to cultural practices and management approaches that can be adapted by the growers of the San Luis Valley. My research interests include the characterization of plant pathogens, diagnosis, epidemiology, and management of plant diseases. My extension program focuses on the identification of research priorities, and the dissemination of the knowledge generated to the growers in a diverse, grower-friendly approaches.

Selected Publications

  • Tran, L., Green K. J., Rodrigues-Rodrigues M., Orellana, G. E., Funke C. N., Nikolaeva O. V., Quintero-Ferrer A., Chikh-Ali M., Woodell, L., Olsen, N., and A. V. Karasev (2021) Prevalence of recombinant strains of potato virus Y in seed potato planted in Idaho and Washington states between 2011 and 2021. Plant Disease (First look: https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-21-1852-SR)
  • Rodrigues-Rodrigues M., Chikh-Ali M., Johnson S. B., Gray S., Malseed N., Crump N. S., and A. V. Karasev (2020) The recombinant potato virus Y (PVY) strain, PVYNTN, identified in potato fields in Victoria, southeastern Australia. Plant Disease 104, 3110-3114
  • Green K. J., Quintero-Ferrer A., Chikh-Ali M., Jones R. A. C., and A. V. Karasev (2020) Genetic diversity of nine non-recombinant potato virus Y isolates from three biological strain groups: historical and geographical insights. Plant Disease 104, 2317-2323
  • Chikh-Ali M., Tran, L., Price, W., and A. V. Karasev (2020) Effects of the age-related resistance to potato virus Y in potato on the systemic spread of the virus, incidence of the potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease, tuber yield, and translocation rates into progeny tubers. Plant Disease 104:269-275 (Editor’s Pick)
  • Chikh-Ali M., Natsuaki T., and A. V. Karasev (2019) Molecular diversity of main cucurbit viruses in Syria. Journal of Plant Pathology 101, 1067-1075
  • Chikh-Ali M., Rodrigues-Rodrigues, M., Green K. J., Kim, D-J., Chung, S-M., Kuhl J. C., and A.V. Karasev (2019) Identification and molecular characterization of recombinant Potato virus Y (PVY) in potato from South Korea, PVYNTN Plant Disease 103, 137-142.
  • Green, K. J., Chikh-Ali M., Hamasaki R. T., Melzer M. J., and A. V. Karasev. (2017) Potato virus Y (PVY) isolates from Physalis peruviana are unable to systemically infect potato or pepper and form a distinct new lineage within the PVYC strain group. Phytopathology 107, 1433-1439.
  • Funke C. N., Nikolaeva O. V., Green K. J., Tran L. T., Chikh-Ali M., Quintero-Ferrer A., Cating R., Frost K. E., Hamm P. B., Olsen N., Pavek M. J., Gray S. M., Crosslin J. M., and A. V. Karasev (2017) Strain-specific resistance to Potato virus Y (PVY) in potato and its effect on the relative abundance of PVY strains in commercial potato fields. Plant Disease 101, 20-28. (Editor’s Pick)
  • Chikh-Ali M. Vander Pol D., Nikolaeva O. V., Melzer M. J., and A. V. Karasev (2016) Biological and molecular characterization of a tomato isolate of Potato virus Y (PVY) from the PVYC lineage. Archives of Virology 161, 3561-3566
  • Chikh-Ali M., Bosque-Pérez N.A., Vander Pol D., Sembel D. and A.V. Karasev (2015) Occurrence and molecular characterization of recombinant Potato virus YNTN (PVYNTN) isolates from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Plant Disease 100, 269-275.
  • Chikh-Ali M., Alruwaili H., Vander Pol D. and A.V. Karasev (2015) Molecular characterization of recombinant strains of Potato virus Y from Saudi Arabia. Plant Disease 100, 292-297.
  • Chikh-Ali M., Rowley J.S., Kuhl J., Gray S.M., and A.V. Karasev (2014) Evidence of a monogenic nature of the Nz gene conferring resistance against potato virus Y strain Z (PVYZ) in potato. American Journal of Potato Research 91, 649-654.
  • Chikh-Ali M., Gray S. and A.V. Karasev (2013) An improved multiplex IC-RT-PCR assay distinguishes nine strains of Potato virus Y. Plant Disease 97, 1370–1374.
  • Chikh-Ali M., Karasev A.V., Furutani N., Taniguchi M., Kano Y., Sato M., Natsuaki T., and T. Maoka (2013) Occurrence of Potato virus Y strain PVYNTN in foundation seed potatoes in Japan, and screening for symptoms caused by PVYNTN in 62 Japanese potato cultivars. Plant Pathology 62, 1157–1165.
  • Chikh-Ali M., Maoka T., Said Omar A.M., Natsuaki K.T., and T. Natsuaki (2012) Characterization of potato and tobacco isolates of cucumber mosaic virus from Syria and the first report on CMV satellite RNA from Potato. Phytopathologia Mediterranea 51, 3–10.
  • Chikh-Ali M. Said Omar A.M., and T. Natsuaki (2011) An infectious full-length cDNA clone of potato virus YNTN-NW, a recently reported strain of PVY causes potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease. Archives of Virology 156, 2039–2043.
  • Chikh-Ali M., Maoka T., Natsuaki K.T., and T. Natsuaki (2010) The simultaneous differentiation of Potato virus Y strains including the newly described strain PVYNTNNW by multiplex PCR assay. Journal of Virological Methods 165, 15-20.
  • Chikh-Ali M., Maoka T., Natsuaki T., and K.T. Natsuaki (2010) PVYNTN-NW, a novel recombinant strain of Potato virus Y predominating in potato fields in Syria. Plant Pathology 59, 31–41.

Book Chapters:

  • Chikh-Ali M., and A. V. Karasev. Virus Diseases of Potato and Their Control. Elsevier (Submitted)
  • Glais L., Chikh-Ali M., Karasev A.V. Kutnjak D. and C. Lecomme (2017) Detection and Diagnosis of Potato virus Y. In Lecomme C., et al (eds.) Potato virus Y: biodiversity, pathogenicity, epidemiology and management. Springer International Publishing
  • Chikh-Ali M. and A.V. Karasev (2015) Potato Mosaic and Tuber Necrosis. In Tennant P. and Fermin G. (eds.) Virus Diseases of Tropical and Subtropical Crops. CAB International. pp 94-107.
  • Chikh-Ali M., and Karasev A.V. (2015) Immunocapture-Multiplex RT-PCR for the Simultaneous Detection and Identification of Plant Viruses and Their Strains: Study Case, Potato Virus Y (PVY). In Lacomme C (ed.) Plant Pathology, Techniques and Protocols. Springer New York. pp 177-186.

Awards and Honors

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship Award of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), April 2009-March 2011
  • Full Scholarship for Graduate Studies by the Government of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT or Monbukagakusho), Japan, April 2003-2009
  • Graduate Student Travel Award, Inoue Foundation for Science, Japan, August 2008
  • Contact Us

    San Luis Valley Research Center
    0249 E RD. 9 N
    Center, Colorado 81125

    SLVRC : (719) 754-3594
    Potato Cert. Svc. : (719) 754-3496
    FAX : (719) 754-2619

  • Gallery