Ana Maria Pastrana Leon

Plant Pathology Advisor
UC Cooperative Extension - Imperial County
1050 East Holton Road
Holtville, CA 92250-9615
ampastranaleon@ucanr.edu Create VCard

Also in:
San Diego County
Riverside County

Biography

Ana M. Pastrana joined UC ANR on January 16, 2024, assuming the role of Plant Pathology Advisor for Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego counties.

Before this position, Dr. Pastrana contributed her expertise as a Research Scientist in the Department of Agronomy at the University of Seville, Spain, from 2022 to 2024. During her time there, she conducted valuable research and shared her knowledge by teaching a graduate-level Plant Health course.

From 2020-2022, Ana played a significant role as a Research Scientist-Plant Pathology at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Canada, where she focused on greenhouse vegetable diseases.

Dr. Pastrana earned her Ph.D. in 2015 from IFAPA, Spain, and subsequently advanced her research during post-doctoral studies at the University of California, Davis, USA.

With over a decade of experience, Ana has focused on investigating the etiology, epidemiology, and management of plant diseases within agricultural ecosystems.

Education

Ph.D. Plant Pathology, University of Seville, Spain. 2024
M.S. Molecular Biology and Biotechnology - Plant Pathology, University of Seville, Spain. 2011
B.S. Biology, University of Seville, Spain. 2009

Discipline

Plant Pathology

Specialty

Plant Pathology

Areas of Expertise (click to see all ANR academics with this expertise)

Bibliography

Peer Reviewed

  • Prieto-Rodriguez, P.; Pastrana, A.M., et al. (2024). First Report of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae Race 1 Causing Fusarium Wilt of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) in the Alentejo Region of Portugal. Plant Disease. 108, 3197. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-24-1534-PDN
  • Ordóñez, J.; Pastrana, A.M., et al. (2024). First report of root and crown rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum Schltdl. on Prunus cerasifera L. in Spain. Plant Disease. 108. https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/full/10.1094/PDIS-11-23-2411-PDN
  • Borrero, C.; Pastrana, A.M., et al. (2024). Host Range of Phytophthora spp. from Berry Crops in Huelva, Spain. Plant Disease. 108, 2740-2749. https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PDIS-06-23-1068-RE
  • Hernández-Muñiz, P.; Borrero, C., et al. (2023). Optimization of the use of industrial wastes in Anaerobic soil disinfestation for the control of Fusarium wilt in strawberry. Plants. 12, 3185.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Borrero, C., et al. (2023). Soilborne pathogens affect strawberry fruit flavor and quality. Plant Science. 326, 111533.
  • Elfar, K.; Daugovish, O., et al. (2023). Strawberry cultivar responses to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae density in soil. Acta Hortic. 1378, 411-416.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Shea, E., et al. (2022). Impact of biosolarization with almond hull and shell amendments for the control of F. o. f. sp. lactucae in a lettuce/tomato cropping system. Crop Protection. 152, 105856.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Watson, D.C., et al. (2021). Colonization of wild blackberry plants in California by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. mori. Plant Disease. 105, 264-267.
  • Shea, E.; Fernandez-Bayo, J.D., et al. (2021). Identification and evaluation of volatile organic compounds evolved during solarization with almond hull and shell amendments. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association. 71, 400-412.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Cline, W.O., et al. (2020). First Report of Fusarium Wilt of Blackberry Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. mori in North Carolina. Plant Disease. 104, 971.
  • P.M., Henry; A.M., Pastrana, et al. (2019). Persistence of F. o. f. sp. fragariae in soil through asymptomatic colonization of rotation crops. Phytopathology. 109, 770-779.
  • Gordon, T.R.; Stueven, M., et al. (2019). The Effect of pH on Spore Germination, Growth, and Infection of Strawberry Roots by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae, Cause of Fusarium wilt of Strawberry. Plant disease. 103, 697-704.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Watson, D.C., et al. (2019). Transmission of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae through stolons in strawberry plants. Plant Disease. 103, 1249-1251.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Kirkpatrick, S.C., et al. (2017). Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. mori, a new forma specialis causing Fusarium wilt of blackberry. 101, 2066-2072.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Basallote-Ureba, M.J., et al. (2017). Potential inoculum sources and incidence of strawberry soil-borne pathogens in Spain. Plant Disease. 101, 751-760.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Basallote-Ureba, M.J., et al. (2017). Symptomless reservoirs of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae and alternative hosts of Fusarium solani pathogenic to strawberry. Journal of Plant Pathology. 99, 141-148.
  • Henry, P.M.; Kirkpatrick, S.C., et al. (2017). The Population of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae, Cause of Fusarium Wilt of Strawberry, in California. Plant Disease. 101, 550-556.
  • Pastrana, A. M.; Basallote-Ureba, M. J., et al. (2016). Biological control of strawberry soil-borne pathogens Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium solani, using Trichoderma asperellum and Bacillus spp. Phytopathologia Mediterranea. 55, 109-120.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Capote, N., et al. (2014). First Report of Fusarium solani Causing Crown and Root Rot on Strawberry Crops in Southwestern Spain. Plant disease. 98, 161.
  • Aguado, A.; Pastrana, A.M., et al. (2012). Efficiency of natural products in the control of Colletotrichum acutatum monitored by real-time PCR. VII International Strawberry Symposium. 1049, 329-334.
  • Capote, N.; Pastrana, A.M., et al. (2012). Molecular tools for detection of plant pathogenic fungi and fungicide resistance.

Non-Peer Reviewed

  • Pastrana, A.M. (2024). Disease notes: onion downy mildew. Imperial County Agricultural Briefs. 7:4, 48-49. April.
  • Pastrana, A.M. (2024). Onion foliar diseases: post harvest cultural recommendations. Imperial County Agricultural Briefs. 27:5, 64. May.
  • Pastrana, A.M. (2024). Soilborne diseases in Golden Dew melons. Imperial County Agricultural Briefs. 27:8, 109. September.
  • Pastrana, A.M. (2024). Updates on sugar beets and beet leafhoppers. Imperial County Agricultural Briefs. 27:7, 86-87. July.
  • Pastrana, A.M. (2024). Viruses in sugar beets. Imperial County Agricultural Briefs. 27:6, 74-76. June.
  • Capote, N.; Pastrana, A.M., et al. (2016). Control biológico de las enfermedades ocasionadas por Macrophomina phaseolina y Fusarium solani en el cultivo de la fresa. Phytoma. 280, 36-42.
  • Pastrana, A.M.; Basallote-Ureba, M.J., et al. (2014). Fusarium solani: un nuevo patógeno en el cultivo de la fresa (Fragariax ananassa Duch.) en España. Phytoma. 257, 42-46.

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