I am Xiaoyu Zhang, a PhD candidate in Dr. Gleason’s lab. My hometown is Zhengzhou, Henan province of China. Before I came to Iowa State University (ISU), I spent seven years in Northwest A&F University of China, which is my second hometown. Both my Bioengineering B.S. degree and Plant Pathology M.S. degree were got from Northwest A&F University.

In the fall of 2010, I started my PhD study in ISU. My research project is focusing on studying of ecology, biology and management of Anthracnose fruit rot (AFR) of strawberry.

My fieldwork is on validating a disease warning system of AFR on day-neutral strawberry according to the weather condition of Iowa. The warning system I am working on was already applied in Florida, which can predict AFR breakout based on leaf wetness duration (LWD) and temperature.

My lab work is on developing a convenient, affordable way to detect AFR pathogen Colletotrichum acutatum during the symptomless phase of the disease cycle. Because of the complex nature of C. acutatum, I am also studying its genetic diversity.

Besides my research, I also love cooking, reading, sewing, drawing and walking in the woods hunting mushrooms. My hope is travelling around the world and collects interesting fungi.

Major: Plant Pathology