Septoria and Stagonospora Diseases of Cereals - CIMMYT ...

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Foreword
In the mid-1970s the idea of holding a septoria workshop began to take hold among a small
group of scientists in the USA. They were interested in exchanging ideas and finding ways to
manage the septoria diseases that affect wheat and other cereals all over the world. The first
workshop was organized in a matter of a few months and held in Griffin, Georgia, in 1976.
Among the 50 scientists who attended were a few researchers from outside the US. The
enthusiasm of that first workshop led to the development of the second, which was a truly
international meeting attended by more than 100 scientists from many countries, held in
Bozeman, Montana, in 1983.
Since then, international septoria workshops have been held about every five years: in
Zurich, Switzerland, in 1989; in Radzikow, Poland, in 1994; and this year at CIMMYT in El
Batan, Mexico. Each workshop has expanded the network of scientists who share their
knowledge and pose the many questions that remain to be solved about these diseases and their
management.
The Zurich workshop had increased participation by workers from Europe and Africa. The
Radzikow workshop brought increased participation from scientists in eastern Europe. The early
workshops focused on the biology of the pathogens and breeding strategies, subjects in which
there remain many unanswered questions. The 1994 workshop and the current one emphasize
molecular approaches to the genetics of the pathogens.
The Fifth International Workshop provides another opportunity to focus on the Septoria/
Stagonospora diseases, but also to see them in the context of the worldwide programs of
CIMMYT, which emphasize collaboration with developing countries with the aim of developing
stable high yielding wheat varieties that possess durable resistance to the diseases.
This workshop also gives us the opportunity to remember our friend and colleague, Zahir
Eyal, who passed away not long ago. An integral part of the program development process and
the discussions at each workshop, he organized the scientific program for this workshop as well.
Zahir Eyal was an enthusiastic supporter of the septoria workshops and the international
exchange of ideas. He will be missed.
We would like to express our appreciation for the efforts of Ravi Singh, Maarten van Ginkel,
and Linda Ainsworth, who organized the workshop. We wish to thank Diana Godínez, María
Luisa Varela, and Laura Rodríguez for managing the logistical support. We also recognize the
efforts of Arnoldo Amaya, María Garay, Lucy Gilchrist, Monique Henry, Gilberto Hernández,
Reynaldo Villareal, Juan José Joven, Marcelo Ortíz, Eliot Sánchez, Kelly Cassaday, Miguel
Mellado, Wenceslao Almazán, and Antonio Luna, as well as many other members of CIMMYT
staff who contributed to the success of this event.
The International Organizing Committee
September 21, 1999