John (Jay) Norelli
Senior Research Associate
Cornell University
Department of Plant Pathology
New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
Geneva, NY 14456
Telephone: (315) 787-2329
FAX: 315-787-2389
E-mail: jn15@cornell.edu
Education
Ph.D.1986 Plant Pathology; Minors: Genetics, Plant Breeding; Cornell University
M.S. 1978 Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley
B.S. 1973 Agricultural Science, Cornell University
Division of Effort
Research - 100 %, Genetic engineering for disease resistance
Research Interests
My long-term research goals are to use biotechnology to develop plant disease control strategies and to develop methods to study host-pathogen interactions. In an apple breeding program, gene transfer systems have been developed using Agrobacterium. Apple cultivars of economic importance have been transformed with genes encoding antibacterial lytic proteins in an attempt to increase their resistance to Erwinia amylovora (fire blight) and with genes encoding chitinases in an attempt to increase their resistance to Venturia inaequalis (apple scab). In addition, I have been active in research on the fire blight disease of apple for over 15 years. Recent studies have concentrated on the rootstock phase of the disease, which is poorly understood.
Three Most Significant Accomplishments
- Transformed apple rootstock and scion cultivars with genes for antibacterial
protein, regenerated plants, and demonstrated increased fire blight
resistance in transgenic plant (Euphytica 77: 123-128). The introduction
of bacterial disease resistance genes into existing apple cultivars
of economic importance by biotechnology could be of great benefit to
the control of bacterial diseases on perennial crops.
- Cloned streptomycin-resistance gene from Pseudomonas syringae
pv. papulans and developed a DNA probe. The probe was then used
to study the occurrence, distribution, and spread of streptomycin resistance
in populations of orchard epiphytic and plant pathogenic bacteria (Applied
and Environmental Microbiology 57: 486-491, 1991; Phytopathology 78:
410-413, 1988; Plant Disease 75: 529-531, 1991). This DNA probe has
been a useful tool for many other scientists studying resistance to
streptomycin in plant pathogenic bacteria (see: Phytopathology 81:710-714,
1991; personal communication: Dr. Carol Bender, Department of Plant
Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Tel: 405-744-5643).
- Identified differential virulence of Erwinia amylovora to specific apple cultivars (Phytopathology 74:136-139, 1984; Plant Disease 70:1017-1019, 1986) and demonstrated the effect of differential virulence on the selection of resistance to E. amylovora in an apple breeding program (Phytopathology 77:1551-1555, 1987). This research resulted in changes in the methods used to select fire blight resistance in major apple breeding programs in both the USA and Europe (New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, Geneva; INRA, Angers, France see: Acta Horticulturae 273:285-295, 1990).
Professional Experience
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1993- Senior Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY 1987-93 Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY 1978-86 Research Support Specialist,Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY 1974-76 Experimentalist, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Professional Organizations
- American Phytopathological Society
Professional Activities
- 1998 National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program, Plant Pathology Panel
Department Responsibilities
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Faculty Advisor to Seminar Committee, Geneva
University Responsibilities
-
1994-1998, Faculty Library Committee, Geneva; chair 1996-1998
Graduate committee (minor member) for J.P Bolar, M.S. (Horticultural Sciences) 1995, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology) 1999.
Graduate committee (minor member) for K.Ko, M.S. (Horticultural Sciences) 1995, Ph.D. (Horticultural Sciences) 1999.
Graduate committee (minor member) for Z. Ozdemir, M.S. (Plant Pathology) 1997.
Patents (1991-present)
Transgenic pomaceous fruit with fire blight resistance (with H.S. Aldwinckle, patent pending)
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