Rebecca Melanson
Graduate Student
E-mail: RMelanson@agcenter.lsu.edu  

Major Professor: Dr. Jong Ham

Education:

• 2008–present: PhD student, Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge, LA

• 2011: M.S. (Plant Health), Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge, LA

• Thesis: “A systematic study of Xylella fastidiosa strains isolated from pecan, grapevine, oleander, and sycamore in Louisiana”

• 2004–2008: Non-matriculating student, Louisiana State University – Shreveport, Shreveport, LA

• 2003: B.S. (Biology), Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport, LA

Experience:

• 2008–present: Graduate Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

• 2004-2008: Plant Pathology Research Associate, LSU AgCenter Pecan Research-Extension Station, Shreveport, LA

Research:

“Characterization of a novel negative regulator of toxoflavin production in Burkholderia glumae, that causes bacterial panicle blight of rice”

Peer-reviewed Publications:

• Karki, H. S., Shrestha, B. K., Han, J. W., Growth, D. E., Barphagha, I. K., Rush, M. C., Melanson, R. A., Kim, B. S., Ham, J. H. 2012. Diversities in virulence, antifungal activity, pigmentation and DNA fingerprint among strains of Burkholderia glumae. PLoS ONE: (accepted).
• Melanson, R. A., Sanderlin, R. S., McTaggart, A. R. and Ham, J. H. 2012. A systematic study of the 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region, pglA, and ERIC-PCR and REP-PCR fingerprints reveals that Xylella fastidiosa strains from pecan are part of X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex. Plant Disease 96:1123-1134.
• Ham, J. H., Melanson, R. A., and Rush, M. C. 2011. Burkholderia glumae: Next major rice pathogen? Molecular Plant Pathology 12(4):329-339. (DOI: 10.1111/j.1364-3703.2010.00676.x).
• Li, B., Sanderlin, R. S., Melanson, R. A., and Yu, Q. 2011. Spatial analysis of a plant disease in non-uniform crop: a Monte Carlo approach. Journal of Applied Statistics 38(1):175-182.
• Sanderlin, R. S. and Melanson, R. A. 2010. Insect transmission of Xylella fastidiosa to pecan. Plant Disease 94(4):465-470.
• Sanderlin, R. S. and Melanson, R. A. 2008. Reduction of Xylella fastidiosa transmission through pecan scion wood by hot-water treatment. Plant Disease 92:1124-1126.
• Sanderlin, R. S. and Melanson, R. A. 2006. Transmission of Xylella fastidiosa through pecan rootstock. HortScience 41(6):1455-1456.

Other Publications:

• Melanson, R. A., Barphagha, I. K., Karki, H. S., Shrestha, B. K., Chen, R., and Ham, J. H. 2012. Transposon mutagenesis of Burkholderia glumae 336gr-1 and screening of mutant derivatives identified ntpR, a novel negative regulator of toxoflavin production. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 102:S2.8.
• Ham, J. H., Karki, H. S., Chen, R., Kaur, I., Francis, F., Kim, J., and Melanson, R. 2012. Genetic dissection of the regulatory network that controls virulence genes of Burkholderia glumae. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 102:S2.5.
• Ham, J. H., and Karki, H. S., Shrestha, B, Barphagha, I. K., Melanson, R. A., Chen, R., Groth, D. E., Sha, X., Utomo, X., Subudhi, P., and Rush, M. C. 2011. Molecular genetic and genomic studies on bacterial panicle blight of rice and its causative agent Burkholderia glumae. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 101:S266.
• Melanson, R. A., Sanderlin, R. S., and Ham, J. H, 2011. Classification of strains of Xylella fastidiosa isolated from pecan in Louisiana as Xylella fastidiosa subspecies multiplex. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 101:S267.
• Ham, J., Barphagha, I., Karki, H., Shrestha, B., Melanson, R., and Chen, R. 2010. Identification of novel regulatory genes of Burkholderia glumae for virulence factors. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 100:S47.
• Sanderlin, R. S., and Melanson, R. A. 2010. Potential vectors of the pecan bacterial leaf scorch pathogen. Proceedings Sixth National Meeting of the Pecan Scientists, Ardmore, OK, May 26-29, 2009. p. 36-46.
• Sanderlin, R. S. and Melanson, R. A. 2010. Management of graft-transmission of the pecan bacterial leaf scorch pathogen. Proceedings of the Southeastern Pecan Growers Association 103:66-70.
• Melanson, R. A., Gil, S., Ham, J. H., and Sanderlin, R. S. 2009. Insect transmission and genotypic variation of pecan pathogenic Xylella fastidiosa strains in Louisiana. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 99:S83.
• Sanderlin, R. S., Li, B., Melanson, R. A., and Gil, S. 2009. Spread of Xylella fastidiosa in a pecan orchard and presence of potential vectors in orchards. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 99:S114.
• Sanderlin, R. S. and Melanson, R. A. 2007. Pecan bacterial leaf scorch. Louisiana Agriculture Magazine 50(1): 23-24.

Awards:

• LSU Graduate School Travel Award to attend the 2009 Annual APS Meeting in Portland, OR
• 2010 Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association Scholarship
• Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology Graduate Student Association Scholarship to attend the 2010 Annual APS Meeting in Charlotte, NC
• LSU Graduate School Travel Award to attend the 2011 Annual Southern Division APS Meeting in Corpus Christi, TX
• APS-Southern Division Travel Award to attend the 2011 Annual Southern Division APS Meeting in Corpus Christi, TX
• LSU Graduate School Travel Award to attend the 2012 Annual Southern Division American Phytopathological Society Meeting in Birmingham, AL
• Ford Foundation Fellowships 2012 Dissertation Program, Honorable Mention

Professional and Academic Associations and Involvement:

• American Phytopathological Society (August 2008 – present)
  • Committee for Diversity and Equality (2009 – present)
  • Extension Committee (2010 – present)
  • Graduate Student Committee (2009 – present)
  • Molecular and Cellular Phytopathology Committee (2009 – present)
• American Phytopathological Society, Southern Division
• Golden Key International Honor Society (2009 – present)
• Gamma Sigma Delta (2010 - present)
• Phi Kappa Phi (2011 – present)
  • Student Vice President (2012-2013)
• LSU Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology (PPCP) Graduate Student Association
  • Secretary (Summer 2009 – Summer 2010)
  • Chair/editor, PPCP Newsletter committee/PPCP News (Fall 2009 – Summer 2010)
  • Chair, Social/Hospitality Committee (Spring 2010 – Summer 2010)
  • President (Fall 2010 – Summer 2012)
  • Past President (Fall 2012 – Summer 2013)
  • Fundraising Committee (Fall 2009 – Summer 2010)
  • Graduate Student Mentor (Fall 2010 – present)