In this episode Ed interviews Dr. Sebastian Eves-van den Akker of the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. They discuss how Sebastian and his lab are using tech such a machine learning and 3d printing to gather data regarding plant parasitic nematodes.

Additional Resources

List of Contributors:

Siyuan Wei, Jie Zhou, Olaf Prosper Kranse, Unnati Sonawala, Gang Sun, Ziyang He, Beatrice Senatori, Clement Pellegrin, Andrea Díaz-Tendero Bravo, Roberta Healey, Victor Hugo Moura de Souza, Vincent C.T. Hanlon, George Harpum, Tithira Wijayathilake, Adela Gaja Jezierska-Suwinska, Anika Damm, Kerry VerMeulen, Thomas Baum, Lida Derevnina, Ji Zhou, Sebastian Eves-van den Akker.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction and Background of the Speaker

02:45 Sebastian's Journey into Plant Sciences

05:43 Exploring Nematodes and Their Impact

08:54 Research Focus: Cyst Nematodes and Their Mechanisms

11:40 Drivers of Nematode Research in the UK

14:34 Innovative Methods in Nematode Research

17:47 High-Throughput Imaging and AI in Research

20:31 Logistics of Large-Scale Experiments

24:28 The Greenhouse Imaging Project

26:48 The Challenges of Lab Work

29:57 Designing the Imaging Machine

33:14 Collaborative Engineering in the Lab

36:23 AI and Nematode Detection

42:08 Building Growth Curves from Data

43:51 Nematode Interactions: Cooperation or Competition?

45:47 Genetic Screening for Nematode Traits

49:29 Future Directions: AI and Nematode Research

51:54 Innovations in Screening Technology

55:36 Communication Between Plants and Animals

56:28 Advancements in Nematode Management

01:00:26 Understanding Nematodes as Orphan Diseases

01:07:50 outro with logo.mp4

Zaworski, E. (Host) and Eves-van den Akker, S. (Interviewee). S5:E12 (Podcast). Seeing the Unseen: New Technologies for Studying Plant-Parasitic Nematodes. 6/17/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript

In this episode Ed interviews Dr. Tom wolf of Agrimetrix research and training. They discuss spray drones past, current and future, with regards to agriculture.

Additional Resources

https://sprayers101.com/about/

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to Spray Drones and Pesticide Applications

00:55 Who Operates the Drones?

01:17 Challenges of Pesticide Application with Drones

11:10 Practical Applications and Future of Drone Technology

14:37 The Evolution of Drone Technology in Agriculture

19:01 Challenges and Limitations of Drone Spraying

25:05 Cost vs. Efficiency: The Drone Dilemma

30:04 Future Prospects of Spray Drones

36:58 Key Takeaways for Farmers on Drone Usage

44:08 outro with logo.mp4

Zaworski, E. (Host) and Wolf, T. (Interviewee). S5:E10 (Podcast). Attack of the Spray Drones! Part 2. 6/10/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript

In this episode Ed interviews Dr. Tom wolf of Agrimetrix research and training. They discuss spray drones past, current and future, with regards to agriculture.

Additional Resources

https://sprayers101.com/about/

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to Spray Drones and Pesticide Applications

02:21 Tom Wolf's Journey into Plant Sciences

10:28 Understanding Drones: Basics and Types

14:24 The Evolving Drone Market and Manufacturers

18:32 The Technological Advancements in Spray Drones

19:41 The Evolution of Drone Design and Functionality

23:54 Understanding Swath Width and Its Variables

26:32 Challenges in Standardizing Drone Operations

31:44 Understanding the Complexity of Drone Applications

35:15 Training and Certification in Drone Usage

39:30 Who Operates the Drones?

47:05 outro with logo.mp4

Zaworski, E. (Host) and Wolf, T. (Interviewee). S5:E10 (Podcast). Attack of the Spray Drones! Part 1. 6/3/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript

In this episode Ed interviews Dr. David Shapiro-Ilan of the USDA-ARS. They discuss the work of David's lab using entomopathogenic nematodes as a form of biocontrol.

Additional Resources

https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=411611

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to Entomopathogenic Nematodes

03:21 Life Cycle and Mechanism of Action

06:19 Host Specificity and Target Insects

09:15 Applications in Agriculture

12:04 Production and Formulation of Nematodes

14:55 Cost and Economic Considerations

17:37 Future of Entomopathogenic Nematodes

20:37 Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts

28:53 outro with logo

Zaworski, E. (Host) and Shapiro-Ilan, D. (Interviewee). S5:E9 (Podcast). Nematode Allies: Exploring Entomopathogenic Nematodes. 5/27/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript

In this episode Ed interviews Dr. José González-Acuña, recent Ph.D. graduate at Iowa State University. They discuss José's Thesis work on frogeye leaf spot and efforts to expand the ever growing library of plant disease predictive models.

Additional Resources

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-46975-z#Sec14

https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/horttech/27/5/article-p710.xml

https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/news/new-crop-risk-tool-enhances-disease-management-decisions

Time Stamps

00:00 Understanding Machine Learning Models

03:23 Choosing the Right Model for the Project

06:13 Metrics for Model Evaluation

08:48 Challenges in Data Collection and Standardization

11:38 Insights on Frog Eye Leaf Spot Modeling

13:44 Future Directions and Improvements

17:40 Understanding Weather Data's Role in Disease Modeling

19:42 Data Collection and Analysis for Disease Severity

21:29 Introduction to Decision Support Systems (DSS)

22:27 The Importance of Decision Support in Agriculture

24:09 Future of Predictive Modeling and Decision Support Systems

28:44 The Role of Farmers in Utilizing Predictive Models

32:14 Economic Benefits of Decision Support Systems

34:29 Elevator Pitch: Explaining Predictive Modeling to the Public

37:58 outro with logo.mp4

Zaworski, E. (Host) and González-Acuña, J. (Interviewee). S5:E8 (Podcast). Frog Eye-PM: Predictive Modeling Part 2. 5/20/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript

In this episode Ed interviews Dr. José González-Acuña, recent Ph.D. graduate at Iowa State University. They discuss José's Thesis work on frogeye leaf spot and efforts to expand the ever growing library of plant disease predictive models.

Additional Resources

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-46975-z#Sec14

https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/horttech/27/5/article-p710.xml

https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/news/new-crop-risk-tool-enhances-disease-management-decisions

Time Stamps

00:44 Introduction to Jose's Academic Journey

03:13 The Path to Plant Pathology

13:45 Understanding Frog Eye Leaf Spot

18:55 Management Strategies for Frog Eye Leaf Spot

21:51 Fungicide Resistance and Its Implications

23:39 The Journey to Predictive Modeling

25:57 The Role of Predictive Models in Agriculture

28:49 Understanding Predictive Modeling

34:26 Types of Predictive Models

40:09 Logistic Regression and Machine Learning Models

45:36 outro with logo.mp4

Zaworski, E. (Host) and González-Acuña, J. (Interviewee). S5:E7 (Podcast). Frog Eye-PM: Predictive Modeling Part 1. 5/13/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript

In this episode Ed interviews Fernando Garcia-Bastidas, also known as Dr. banana. They discuss banana production and the very destructive disease known as banana wilt.

Additional Resources

https://www.keygene.com/banana-research-and-breeding-keygene/

https://linktr.ee/DrBananaGarcia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhPEErJnErU

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to Bananas and Fernando's Journey

00:42 Introductions

03:28 The Fascinating World of Bananas

06:12 KeyGene and Banana Breeding Innovations

09:07 Understanding Panama Disease and Its History

12:09 The Impact of Fusarium Wilt on Banana Cultivation

15:00 Banana Propagation and Monoculture Risks

18:17 Challenges in Banana Production

20:56 Fusarium Wilt: Transmission and Biosecurity Measures

23:48 The Global Spread of Fusarium Wilt

27:05 Social Implications of Fusarium Wilt

29:31 Future of Banana Cultivation and Breeding

39:30 The Impact of Fusarium on Banana Production

39:44 Understanding Banana Races and Their Threats

41:43 Geographical Spread of Fusarium Race 4

43:38 Banana Production: Global Insights

45:41 Management Strategies Against Fusarium

49:38 Symptoms and Effects of Fusarium Wilt

53:33 Breeding for Resistance: The Future of Bananas

57:55 Consumer Acceptance and Market Challenges

01:00:29 Exploring Banana Diversity and Flavor Profiles

01:04:38 The Future of Banana Production

01:08:38 Public Awareness and the Importance of Bananas

01:16:25 Outro

Zaworski, E. (Host) and Garcia-Bastidas, F. (Interviewee). S5:E6 (Podcast). Dr. Banana vs. Tropical Race 4. 4/15/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript

In this episode Ed interviews Brian Kelley of the Gathering Growth foundation. They discuss Brian's mission to photograph and document some of the nation's oldest and largest trees to raise awareness and preserve their legacy.

Additional Resources

https://www.gatheringgrowth.org/

https://www.americanforests.org/champion-trees/

https://nationalchampiontree.org

https://soundcloud.com/user-954267106

Time Stamps

(00:00) Introduction to Gathering Growth Foundation

(01:12) Adventures in Tree Photography

(15:02) The Importance of Documenting Trees

(25:05) Future Projects and Aspirations

(35:03) Engaging the Public with Tree Awareness

Zaworski, E. (Host) and Kelley, B. (Interviewee). S5:E5 (Podcast). Documenting the Nations Grandest Trees: The Gathering Growth Foundation Part 2. 3/25/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript

In this episode Ed interviews Brian Kelley of the Gathering Growth foundation. They discuss Brian's mission to photograph and document some of the nation's oldest and largest trees to raise awareness and preserve their legacy.

Additional Resources

https://www.gatheringgrowth.org/

https://www.americanforests.org/champion-trees/

https://nationalchampiontree.org

https://soundcloud.com/user-954267106

Time Stamps

(00:00) Introduction to I See Dead Plants Podcast

(01:34) Brian Kelly and the Gathering Growth Foundation

(05:32) The Journey from Skateboarding to Tree Photography

(12:54) The Importance of Documenting Trees

(16:01) Understanding Champion Trees

(25:30) The Role of State and Global Tree Registries

(27:49) Why Documenting Trees Matters

(33:55) Documenting Trees: The Process and Outputs

Zaworski, E. (Host) and Kelley, B. (Interviewee). S5:E4 (Podcast). Documenting the Nations Grandest Trees: The Gathering Growth Foundation Part 1. 3/18/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript

In this episode Ed interviews Dr. Sam Markell of North Dakota State University. They discuss the emerging threat of SCN in North Dakota and how the SCN coalition aims to combat this ever-present threat.

Additional Resources

https://www.thescncoalition.com/

Time Stamps

(00:00) Introduction to the ICDeadPlants Podcast (05:57) Understanding Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) (12:08) The Impact of SCN in North Dakota (17:59) The SCN Coalition: A Public-Private Partnership (23:58) Reviving the SCN Coalition and Its Strategies (31:18) Building Partnerships for Agricultural Success (41:06) Advice for Future Public-Private Partnerships (46:09) Recognizing Achievements and Future Directions (51:01) The Impact of the SCN Coalition on Farmers

Zaworski, E. (Host) and Markell, S. (Interviewee). S5:E3 (Podcast). Silent Yield Killer: Soybean Cyst Nematode and the SCN Coalition. 3/11/2026. In I See Dead Plants. Crop Protection Network.

Transcript