Virginia Tech Hosts the 22nd Tomato Disease Workshop

Steve Rideout addresses participants at the Tomato Disease Workshop.

Steve Rideout, PPWS assistant professor at the Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC), hosted the 22nd Annual Tomato Disease Workshop on Oct. 24 - 26, 2007. The workshop provides a forum for the presentation of new products and recent research results relating to disease etiology, pathogen epidemiology, breeding for disease resistance, and chemical, cultural, and biological disease management strategies. The Williamsburg workshop included a trip to the Eastern Shore to view Virginia's largest area of tomato production. The event attracted over 80 participants from 17 states and three countries. Fresh market tomatoes ranked as the top cash crop in the Commonwealth in 2006. Virginia ranks third in tomato production value in the United States (behind California and Florida).