Madison Flasco

Plant virology; vector biology; ecology; epidemiology; transmission biology; molecular diagnostics

The plant virology lab has three foci: 

(1)    Investigating the landscape level ecology of viruses.  Applied research using spatiotemporal surveys will assess viral spread and work to study the natural inoculum sources surrounding cropping systems. Similar strategies will be implemented to understand vector populations within and surrounding fields. The ultimate goal of this work is to understand the temporal relationships between viruses, vectors, and their landscape.

(2)    Understand the nuances of plant virus-vector interactions. While strides have been made in understanding the viral determinants of transmission, the same is not true for insect vector determinants. Research will be dedicated to understanding key genes required for viral transmission at specific insect tissue types and extend to other vector populations. 

(3)    The above tenants will be utilized to better inform management strategies to combat viral diseases. 

Flasco, M. and Fuchs, M. 2023. Two distinct genotypes of Spissistilus festinus (say, 1830) reproduce and differentially transmit grapevine red blotch virus. Insects. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects1410083.

Flasco, M., Hoyle, V., Powell, G., Seiter, J., Wise, A., Cieniewicz, E.J., and Fuchs, M. 2023. Seasonal variation in grapevine red blotch virus titer in relation to disease symptom expression in vineyards. Phytobiomes Journal. https://doi.org/10.1094/PBIOMES-07-23-0076-R.

Flasco, M., Hoyle, V., Cieniewicz, E.J., and Fuchs, M. 2023. Transmission of grapevine red blotch virus: a virologist’s perspective of the literature and a few recommendations. American Journal of Ecology and Viticulture. https://doi.org/10.5344/ajev.2023.23020 

Flasco, M., Cieniewicz, E.J., Dangl, G., Pethybridge, S.J., and Fuchs, M. 2023. Distinct red blotch disease epidemiological dynamics in two nearby vineyards. Viruses. https://doi.org/10.3390/v15051184.

Flasco, M., Hoyle, V., Cieniewicz, E.J., Loeb, G., McLane, H.L., and Fuchs, M. 2023. The three-cornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus, is a vector of grapevine red blotch virus in the vineyard. Viruses. http://doi.org/10.3390/V15040927. 

Sawyer, E., Laroche-Pinel, E., Flasco, M., Cooper, M.L., Corrales, B., Fuchs, M., and Brillante L. 2023. Phenotyping grapevine red blotch virus and grapevine leafroll-associated viruses before and after symptom expression through machine-learning analysis of hyperspectral images. Frontiers in Plant Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1117869.

Hoyle, V., Flasco, M., Cieniewicz, E.J., McLane, H.L., Perry, K.L., Dangl, G., Al Rwahnih, M., Heck, M., Loeb, G., and Fuchs, M. 2022. Transmission of grapevine red blotch virus by Spissistilus festinus [Say, 1830] (Hemiptera: Membracidae) between free-living vines and Vitis vinifera ‘Cabernet franc’. Viruses http://doi.org/10.3390/v14061156. 

Flasco, M., Hoyle, V., Cieniewicz, E.J., Roy, B.G., McLane, H.L., Perry, K.L., Loeb, G., Nault, B., Heck M. and Fuchs, M. 2021. Grapevine red blotch virus is transmitted by the three-cornered alfalfa hopper in a circulative, nonpropagative transmission mode with unique attributes. Phytopathology. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-02-21-0061-R. 

Cieniewicz, E., Flasco, M., Brunelli, M., Onwumelu A., Wise, A. and Fuchs, M.F. 2019. Differential spread of grapevine red blotch virus in California and New York vineyards. Phytobiomes Journal 3:203-211. https://doi.org/10.1094/PBIOMES-04-19-0020-R. 

Osterbaan, L.J., Choi, J., Kenney, J., Flasco, M., Vigne, E., Schmitt-Keichinger, C., Rebelo, A.R., Heck, M. and Fuchs, M. 2019. The identity of a single residue of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of grapevine fanleaf virus modulates vein clearing symptoms in Nicotiana benthamiana. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 32:790-801. http://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-12-18-0337-R.