Undergraduate Vacation Bursaries, 1998

In 1997, fifteen applications were received for the 10 bursaries available. A list of the successful applicants, the names of students who will have had the unique chance of studying an aspect of plant pathology over the summer and the title of their projects is given overleaf. But the autumn Newsletter is a good opportunity to remind members that now is the time to consider prospective students for the 1998 bursaries.

The number of applications received in 1997 was somewhat lower than expected. However it is hoped that this `early warning' will ensure many more applications next year. Not that this will make the Education sub-committee's task of selecting the best applications any easier - for all the 1997 applications were of a high standard and the final decision very difficult indeed. The procedure and rules of the bursary scheme for 1998 are almost the same as for 1997 and are given below. The only change is that attached to the application we would like prospective students to provide a CV (one side of A4) including a short paragraph (10 lines maximum), explaining why they are interested in plant pathology.

Applications will be judged on a number of criteria including:

• suitability of the project for an undergraduate in the middle year(s) of his/her course.

• the likelihood of achieving results

• whether the project represents a good training/learning experience

• the performance of the student to date

• the students CV and reasons for interest in plant pathology.

The 1998 undergraduate vacation bursary scheme is open to all BSPP members and will provide modest support for work on specified research projects during the summer vacation. The objective of the bursaries is to provide undergraduates considering a research career with some practical experience in a plant pathology laboratory and to assist supervisors to meet some specific research objectives.

Applications are invited from supervisors on behalf of an identified student. Students should be in the middle year(s) of their degree course and each BSPP member will be restricted to making a single application annually. Bursaries will be awarded on a competitive basis.

The bursary is not transferable and students will receive a sum of £150 per week to cover their living expenses. Bursaries will be for a maximum of 10 weeks and a minimum of 8 weeks. In the event of a successful application, cheques will be made payable to the institution in which the student will work who should arrange payment weekly in arrears subject to satisfactory attendance and performance. The final payment should be made only after a short report (approximately 2 sides of A4), completed by the student, has been submitted to BSPP via the supervisor.

For 1998 application forms, which must be returned by the closing date of 2 March 1998 are available from Stuart Wale, whose address in given in the list of Council members at the back of the Newsletter.

Notification of the results of applications will be made by the end of March 1998 after consideration by the Education sub-committee of BSPP Council.

Stuart Wale
SAC Aberdeen

Undergraduate Vacation Bursaries, 1997

This year, BSPP awarded Undergraduate Vacation Bursaries to ten members, for students to work on the following projects:

Dr Denis Pitt (University of Exeter) for David Farley: Microbial diversity of composts derived from recycled organic material and mode of antagonism to soil-borne pathogenic fungi

Dr David Kenyon (Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive), forNicola Gemmel: Analysis of micro-geographical biodiversity in powdery mildew of rhododendron

Dr Peter Jenkinson (Harper Adams Agricultural College), for Adrian Warner: Assessment of the Hardi Metpole (NEGFRY) decision support system for the control of late blight in potatoes

Dr Carlo Leifert (University of Aberdeen), for Kirsteen Dohaghy: Identification of fungi causing heart rot in Acacia mangium

Dr Stephen Woodward (University of Aberdeen), for Andrew Livingstone: Detection of resistance responses to Endocronartium pini in native Scots pine

Dr Brian Lewis (University of East Anglia), for Eleanor Riches: Mapping resistance genes in Pisum sativum

Dr Peter Spencer-Philips (University of theWest of England), for Peter Whitehead: Transfer intercept in Sclerospora graminicola infections

Dr Mark McQuilken (Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive), for Suzanne Chow: Interactions between binucleate Rhizoctonia spp and the mycoparasite Verticillium biguttaltun

Dr James Brown (John Innes Centre, Norwich), for Philip Collins (University of East Anglia): Fungicide resistance in powdery mildew of wheat

Dr Sarah Gurr (University of Oxford), for Laura Workman: Development and differentiation of infection structures in tomato powdery mildew

The BSPP archives

The BSPP archives consist of collections of documents recording the past and present activities of the Society, and its predecessor, the Federation of Plant Pathologists (FBPP). They were established by John Jenkins, the last Chairman of the FBPP, in 1987. The principal items held in the archives are as follows.

1. A collection of documents relating to the history of the BSPP/FBPP.

2. Minutes of Meetings of BSPP Council and the FBPP Committee, and associated Papers.

3. Minutes of Annual General Meetings of the BSPP.

4. A complete set of the Society's journal Plant Pathology (vol. 1, 1952-present).

5. A complete set of BSPP and FBPP newsletters.

6. An incomplete collection of programmes of BSPP and FBPP scientific symposia and related documents.

7. A small collection of plant pathology books, mainly volumes arising from symposia of the Society.

8. A collection of drawings by the late plant pathologist E C Large.

The archives are at present housed in the office of a member of Council at Reading University so are not freely accessible. However, I can photocopy and post specific items (within reason!) for BSPP members on request.

If any member is able to supply copies of programmes for the FBPP/BSPP symposia listed below which are missing from the archives I would be glad to hear from them. Abstract booklets for these and a number of other symposia are also needed so please send any unwanted copies. In addition, documents falling into the general category (1) above would be welcome. Council would particularly like to add to a small collection of photographsillustrating the various affairs of the Society, both past and present.

Jane Thompson
BSPP Archivist

FBPP & BSPP conference programmes missing from the archives

1966 October Transmission of viruses

1967 February Forest pathology, with BMS

July Field day, Unilever Research Laboratories, Colworth House

October General papers, London

1968 February Virus-tested planting material

April Discussion meeting on leaf and ear diseases of cereals, Manchester

May Local evening meeting at Shardlow

July Fusarium workshop, Manchester

October Powdery mildews

1969 February General papers

March Fusarium workshop, Southampton

July Residential field meetings for virologists, Aberystwyth

October Bacteria in relation to plants

1970 January Barley mildew

July Field day for forest pathologists, Forest of Dean

1971 July Survival of soil-borne pathogens, with AAB, Dundee

1979 April Quality maintenance in stored and processed crops, with AAB and Long Ashton Research Station, Bristol

1980 December Virology Group offered papers, London

1982 April Soils and plant health, with BSS

April Offered papers, Imperial College, London

1983 April Physiological plant pathology, with SEB, University of Hull

April Blackleg of potato, Leeds

1984 April Teaching workshop, Sutton Bonington

September Soil-borne diseases workshop, Rothamsted

1985 September Fungicides for crop protection, with BCPC, SFPP, ANPP and EPPO, Bordeaux

October Diseases of ornamentals workshop, Merrist Wood Agricultural College, Guildford

1986 March Latency and bacterial plant diseases discussion group, Edinburgh

1992 April Disease management in relation to changing agricultural practice, Queens University, Belfast

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