Professor

http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/millerlab/ (Current site)

Miller Lab (Coming soon)

Areas of Special Interest

Diseases of vegetable crops, molecular disease diagnostics, and integrated pest management.

Who am I?

I am a northern Ohio native and completed my Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at The Ohio State University. I became interested in plant science through my Senior Honors project under the guidance of Dr. W. R. Sharp, which involved the effects of asbestos contamination on plant growth and development. I then accepted a graduate assistantship with Dr. Douglas P. Maxwell in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. There I studied the interaction of Phytophthora medicaginis with alfalfa using cytological and biochemical methods. I received my M.S. degree in 1979 and Ph.D. degree in 1982. During my graduate studies I developed a deep appreciation of the genus Phytophthora, and have continued to work with this genus of plant pathogens in some capacity throughout my career. In 1982 I joined DNA Plant Technology Corporation, a plant biotechnology firm in southern New Jersey. Less than two years later I become part of a "spin-off" called Agri-Diagnostics Associates, where we developed monoclonal antibody-based diagnostic kits for detection of plant pathogens, including species of Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia, Septoria and Mycosphaerella. In 1991 I joined the faculty in the Department of Plant Pathology at OSU, focusing on research and extension in vegetable crop diseases.

Teaching Interests

While I have no formal teaching appointment, I am involved in the teaching program at Ohio State through advising of M.S. and Ph.D. students, participation in team-taught courses, and coordination and teaching of the summer field course, Plant Pathology 685. I teach the diagnostics component of our capstone course for the undergraduate Plant Health Management major (Plant Pathology 603). I also advise undergraduate students from the College of Wooster and OSU during our summer internship programs. My goals in graduate education are to help students develop 1) a strong foundation in the discipline of Plant Pathology, 2) the ability to think critically and independently, 3) proficiency in writing for, and speaking to, both scientific and general audiences and 4) sound organizational skills. I do my best to encourage a strong work ethic in my students, an intense desire to seek understanding of scientific questions, and a strong sense of professional ethics, in addition to technical training in the laboratory and field. I believe that students should be given as much freedom as practical to carry out the objectives of their own projects, allowing leeway for investigating interesting and exciting avenues discovered.

Research Area

My research program is centered on the development of management strategies for vegetable diseases. The principle crops in the program are tomato, pepper and "salad vegetables" grown on muck soils in Ohio, including lettuce, radish, parsley and onion. The major diseases we are studying are caused by bacteria, phytoplasmas, soil-borne fungi and nematodes. We have addressed the components of integrated, sustainable disease management in conventional and organic crop production, including the evaluation of varietal resistance, use of biological control microbes, alteration of cultural practices and limited use of appropriate external inputs. We are particularly interested in the application of biocontrol agents to vegetable-growing systems through the use of fortified composts. We also use serological and molecular techniques to detect and enumerate microorganisms in crops and soil. We have developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based systems for detection of biocontrol agents (Trichoderma hamatum) and plant pathogens (aster yellows phytoplasma, Xanthomonas spp.) in agricultural ecosystems. We are also using other PCR-related methods, including real-time, quantitative PCR, to study the behavior of pathogens and biocontrol agents in the field.

International Programs

International development work is an essential part of my research and outreach program. I have been involved since 1995 in the US AID sponsored IPM Collaborative Research and Development Program (IPM CRSP) in the Philippines, and more recently also in Bangladesh. I currently serve as site chair for the Philippines site and am a member of the Executive and Technical committees of the IPM CRSP. I also participated in the USAID-sponsored Pest and Pesticide Management Program, D'nepropetrovsk, Ukraine from 1997-1999, working to develop IPM programs for vegetable and wheat crops in southeastern Ukraine. I am also involved in Collaborative Institutional Interaction Development Between OSU College of Food Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Ataturk University, Erzerum, Turkey.

Extension/Outreach Activities

As an Extension State Specialist for vegetable crop diseases, I work closely with growers, processors and Extension personnel to develop practical solutions to crop production problems. These interactions serve as a guide for a significant portion of my research program. I diagnose diseases in the laboratory and field, test different disease control strategies within the umbrella of integrated pest management, and communicate results on a regular basis to our clientele. This is accomplished through electronic and print media as well as farm visits and presentations at meetings, tours and field days. Media include fact sheets and contributions to VegNet, an OSU weekly electronic newsletter. I am also a member of the VegTeam, an interdisciplinary group of research and extension personnel involved with vegetable crops in Ohio.

Publications (last five years)

Geiser, D.M., Lewis Ivey, M.L., Hakiza, G., Juba, J.H. and Miller, S.A. 2005. Gibberella xylarioides (anamorph: Fusarium xylarioides), a causative agent of coffee wilt disease in Africa, is a previously unrecognized member of the G. fujikuroi species complex. Mycologia (in press).

Nahar, M.S., Grewal, P.S., Miller, S.A., Stinner, D., Stinner, B.R., Kleinhenz, M.D., Wszelaki, A. and Doohan, D. 2005. Differential effects of raw and composted manure on nematode community, and soil microbial, physical and chemical properties. Appl. Soil Ecol. (in press).

Kahn, J., Ooka, J. J., Miller, S. A., Madden, L. V. and Hoitink, H. A. J. 2004. Systemic Resistance induced by Trichoderma hamatum 382 in cucumber against Phytophthora crown rot and leaf blight. Plant Disease 88:280-286.

Zhang, J., Miller, S. A., Nault, L., Hogenhout, S. A. and Hoy, C. W. 2004. Molecular and symptom analyses of phytoplasma strains from lettuce reveal a diverse population. Phytopathology 92:842-849.

Lewis Ivey, M. L., Nava Diaz, C. and Miller, S.A. 2004. Identification and management of Colletotrichum acutatum on immature bell peppers. Plant Dis. 88:1198-1204.

Yanar, Y. and Miller, S. 2004. Effect of treating pepper with benzothiadiazole derivative and non-pathogenic Xanthomonas campestris pathovars on the level of disease casued by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Plant Pathology J. 3:52-55.

Sahin, F., Abbasi, P., Lewis Ivey, M., Zhang,J. and Miller, S. A. 2003. Diversity among strains of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians from lettuce. Phytopathology 93:64-70.

Yanar,Y. and Miller, S. A. 2003. Resistance of pepper cultivars and Capsicum spp. accessions to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Plant Disease 87:303-307.

Ozbek, E., Miller, S. A., Meulia, T. and Hogenhout, S. 2003. Infection and replication sites of Spiroplasma kunkelii (Class: Mollicutes) in midgut and malpighian tubules of the leafhopper Dalbulus maidis. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 82:167-175.

Sahin, F., Kotan, R., Abbasi, P. and Miller, S. A. 2003. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Xanthomonas campestris pv. zinniae strains. European Journal of Plant Pathology 109: 165-172.

Al-Dahmani, J., Abbasi, P. A., Miller, S. A. and Hoitink, H. A. J. 2003. Suppression of bacterial leaf spot of tomato with foliar sprays of compost extracts under greenhouse and field conditions. Plant Disease 87:913-919.

Gergon, E. B., Miller, S. A. and Davide, R. G. 2002. The effect of rice root-knot nematode on the growth and yield of onion (Allium cepa L.) 'Yellow Granex'. Plant Disease 86:1339-1344

Abbasi, P. A., Al-Dahmani, J., Sahin, F., Hoitink, H. A. J. and Miller, S. A. 2002. Effect of compost amendments on disease severity and yield in organic and convention tomato production systems. Plant Disease 86:156-161.

Lewis Ivey, M. L., Wright, S. and Miller, S. A. 2002. Report of bacterial leaf spot on collards and turnip leaves in Ohio. Plant Disease 86:186.

Zhou, X., Hoy, C. W., Miller, S. A. and Nault, L. R. 2002. Spatially explicit simulation of aster yellows epidemics and control on lettuce. Ecological Modelling151:293-307.

Alberto,R., Duca,M., Santiago,S., Miller, S. A., and Black, L. 2002. First report of anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penzig) Penzig & Sacc.) of onion (Allium cepa L.) in the Philippines. J. Tropical Plant Pathology 37: 46-51.

Louws, F. J., Wilson, M., Cuppels, D.A., Jones, J. B., Shoemaker, P. B., Sahin, F. and Miller, S.A. 2001. Field control of bacterial spot of tomato and pepper and bacterial speck of tomato using a plant activator. Plant Disease 85: 481-488.

Gergon, E. B., Miller, S. A. and Davide, R. G. 2001. Root-knot disease of onion caused by the rice root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola: Occurrence, pathogenicity, and varietal resistance. Philipp. Agric. Scient. 84:43-50.

Gergon, E. B., Miller, S. A., Davide, R. G., Opina, O. S. and Obien, S. R. 2001. Evaluation of cultural practices (surface burning, deep ploughing, organic amendments) for management of rice root-knot nematode in rice-onion cropping system and their effect on onion. Int. J. Pest Mgt. 47:265-272.

Beanland, L., Hoy, C. W., Miller, S. A., and Nault, L. R. 2000. Influence of aster phytoplasma on aster leafhoppers. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 93:271-276.

Gapasin, R. M., Miller, S. A. and Ranchez, C. V. 2000. Antagonistic plants for the management of the root-knot nematode in rice-onion system. Trans. Nat. Aca. Sci. Tech. Philippines 22: 131-136.

Hoy, C. W., Zhou, X. L., Nault, L. R., Miller, S. A. and Styer, J. 2000. Host plant, phytoplasma, and reproductive status effects on flight behavior of aster leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) flight behavior. Annals Entomol. Soc. Am. 92:523-528.

Ivey, M. L. and Miller. S. A. 2000. First report of bacterial canker of pepper in Ohio. Plant Disease 84:810.

Sahin, F. , Kotan, R., Gergon, E., and Miller, S. A. 1999. First observation of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria race T2P7 isolated from peppers in the Philippines. Plant Disease 83: 590.

Abbasi, P. A. , Miller, S. A. , Meulia, T., Hoitink, H. A. J. and Kim, J.-M. 1999. Precise detection and tracing of Trichoderma hamatum 382 in compost-amended potting mixes using molecular markers. Appl. Env. Microbiol. 65: 5421-5426.

Beanland, L., Hoy, C. W., Miller, S. A., and Nault, L. R. 1999. Leafhopper transmission of aster yellows phytoplasma: does gender matter? Environmental Entomology 28:1101-1106.

Hoy, C. W., Zhou, X. L., Nault, L. R., Miller, S. A. and Styer, J. 1999. Host plant, phytoplasma, and reproductive status effects on flight behavior of aster leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) flight behavior. Annals Entomol. Soc. Am. 92:523-528.

Major Funding (last 5 years)

Welty, C., Miller, S. A., Bennett, M., Derksen, R. Pepper production and pest management optimized by plant spacing, pesticide application technology and new pesticides. USDA-Pest Management Alternatives Program, Aril 1, 2004-March 31, 2006, $165,038.

Kleinhenz, M. McSpadden Gardener, B.B., Miller, S.A., Cardina, J., Grewal, P., Stinner, D. and Batte, M. Paths of transition: Strategies for peri-urban organic farmers. USDA CSREES Organic Transitions Program, July 2002-June 2006, $397,000.

Miller, S. A. USAID IPM-CRSP (Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program) Philippines and Bangladesh, 1997-2002, $ 146,996; 2002-2004, $ 113,836.

Hogenhout, S. and Miller, S.A. Genome sequencing of phytoplasmas, pathogens of insects and plants: A Consortium. USDA CSREES NRI. September 2002-August 2004, $356,000.

Hoy, C. W. and Miller, S. A. Development of rapid and sensitive PCR methods for detection of the causal agent of stolbur disease on potato and integrated approaches to its management. OARDC RECGP - International Competition, 2002-2004, $25,000.

Jones, J. B., Momol, M. T., Pradhanang, S. K., Olson, S. M., Miller, S. A. and Scott, J. W. Integrated management of bacterial diseases of tomato. USDA SR-IPM, 2002-2004, $120,000.

Hogenhout, S. A., Miller, S. A. and Meulia, T. The characterization of candidate genes associated with host specificity and symptom development of aster yellows and maize bushy stunt phytoplasmas. OARDC RECGP, 2001-2003, $100,000.

Miller, S. A., Kleinhenz, M. D. and Doohan, D. J. Optimization of pest, nutrient and water management tools for fresh market tomatoes. USDA North Central Integrated Pest Management Grants Program, 2001-2003, $69,978.

Erbaugh, J. M. and Miller, S.A. Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Effort (Coffee Wilt - Uganda), 2001-2002, USAID IPM CRSP (subcontract to Virginia Tech), $13,893.

Stinner, B. R., Miller, S. A., Stinner, D., Moore, R., Cardina, J., Hoy, C., Grewal, P., Kleinhenz, M., Doohan, D., Michel, F., Kovach, J. and Batte, M. Revitalizing small and mid-sized farms: organic research, education and extension. USDA Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS), 2000-2004, $1,800,000.

Kleinhenz, M., Miller, S. A., Bergefurd, . and Bierman, P. New commodity enterprises in Ohio - Evaluation and Education. OARDC Competitive Grants Program - New Enterprise Competition. 2000-2002, $50,000.

Dick, W. A., Cardina, J. and Miller, S. A. " Chemical-free no tillage crop production." OARDC Research Enhancement Competitive Grants Program, Interdisciplinary Team Research Competition, 1998-2000, $ 89,980.

Miller, S. A. and Hoitink, H. A. J. "Biological control of bacterial diseases of vegetable crops." USDA North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NC SARE), 1998-2000, $98,500.

Contact Information

Sally Miller
Department of Plant Pathology
The Ohio State University
227 Selby Hall
1680 Madison Avenue
Wooster, Ohio 44691-4096

Phone: (330) 263-3678
FAX: (330) 263-3841
Email: miller.769@osu.edu