The story, which featured USDA plant pathologist Carolee Bull, detailed one of her recent investigations, conducted with Steve Koike, UCCE advisor who specializes in plant pathology. They sought to determine what pathogen was putting spots on broccoli raab and other cruciferous crops in the Salinas Valley.
Once the correct identification and classification of the pathogen was completed, an environmentally sound and affordable way of dealing with it could be developed.
“We create our own puzzles,” Bull said, “and then we solve them.”