February 5, 2026
In 2025, funding from the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC) helped faculty, staff, postdocs, and students publish 13 papers that advance understanding and management of invasive species across Minnesota. Each published paper serves as a major benchmark, reflecting years of collective dedication to invasive pest and plant research and opening up exciting new lines of inquiry for the future.
Through these findings, MITPPC-funded research teams are developing, improving, and applying novel diagnostic tests to pinpoint pathogens, identifying and better understanding new invasive species in the state, validating and analyzing management tactics, and much more.
MITPPC is immensely grateful to the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for offering financial support as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. And we are incredibly proud of what U of M researchers and their colleagues have accomplished with these resources.
2025 published research findings
Novel rapid test boosts Phytophthora detection
Phytophthora root and stem rot reduces soybean yields worldwide. MITPPC researchers adapted a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, originally developed for oak wilt, to detect Phytophthora. The assay identified 100% of infected seedlings, outperforming PCR and offering rapid, visible results to improve disease management.
Zarouri, A., Meher, A., Malvick, D., Floyd, C., McCaghey, M., Aboubakr, H., & Abbas, A. (2025). A rapid loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for the detection of root rot in soybean caused by Phytophthora sojae. Analytical Methods, 17(35), 7061–7070. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5AY00924C
Aquarium wood brings exotic fungus
MITPPC researchers found an unusual fungus growing on decorative wood in freshwater aquariums in Minnesota and Colorado. Lab cultures and DNA testing identified it as Xylaria apoda, a species not previously reported in the U.S. The study shows aquarium wood can introduce non-native fungi that survive fully underwater.
Blanchette, R. A., Rajtar, N. N., Yandrasits, H., Stephens, K. C., & Held, B. W. (2025). Aquatic Xylaria: An exotic fungus introduced into the United States on aquarium decorative wood. Mycologia, 0(0), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/00275514.2025.2451522
Fungi show promise against emerald ash borer
The emerald ash borer has killed ash trees across North America, and current controls are not enough. MITPPC researchers tested fungi as a new tool, finding two strains that reduced beetle survival in lab studies. The team now recommends field trials to confirm these fungi can slow emerald ash borer populations.
Peters, C. J., Rajtar, N. N., & Blanchette, R. A. (2025). Entomopathogenic fungi from Minnesota are virulent against emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), adults in a laboratory autodissemination device assay. Forests, 16(11), 1742. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111742
New disease hits U.S. ginger crops
In 2023, ginger growers in southeastern Minnesota began reporting a new, severe disease in their crops. Researchers traced the problem to imported seed rhizomes and identified the cause as Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum, a bacterium that causes plant wilt and rot. Lab tests and greenhouse trials confirmed the pathogen rapidly kills ginger plants. This is the first reported case of this disease in U.S. ginger and raises concerns about imported plant material and climate-related disease spread.
Chiu, M., Lowe-Power, T., Grabowski, M., & Khokhani, D. (2025). First report of bacterial wilt of ginger caused by Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum in the continental United States. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-24-2402-PDN
Which fungi could help control buckthorn?
Common buckthorn threatens North American forests, and current control methods are limited. MITPPC researchers collected over 400 fungi from dying buckthorn at 19 Minnesota and Wisconsin sites, identifying 46 as potential canker or root-rot pathogens. They recommend testing these fungi to see if they could selectively control buckthorn.
Franke, R. D. M., Rajtar, N. N., & Blanchette, R. A. (2025). Fungi associated with dying buckthorn in North America. Forests, 16(7), Article 7. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16071148
Aquarium wood harbors diverse fungi
Fungal pathogens continue spreading globally, causing outbreaks like Dutch elm disease and sudden oak death. This study examined 44 pieces of imported decorative aquarium wood and identified 123 fungal taxa, including 31 species new to the U.S. The findings highlight aquarium wood as a potential pathway for introducing invasive fungi.
Blanchette, R. A., Rajtar, N. N., Lochridge, A. G., & Held, B. W. (2025). Intercontinental movement of exotic fungi on decorative wood used in aquatic and terrestrial aquariums. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 9142. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94540-x
Analyzing fungal scent speeds disease detection
Researchers present a faster way to identify bacterial or fungal infections. Traditional methods are accurate but slow and labor-intensive. Instead, these researchers analyzed the odor chemicals in the air above fungal cultures. They tested the fruity-smelling oak wilt fungus and detected disease signals in 30 seconds after just one day of growth, drastically speeding up the process without sacrificing accuracy.
Meher, A. K., & Abbas, A. (2025). PTR-MS analysis of fungal VOCs for early detection of oak wilt. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-025-05880-6
Planting native grasses after clearing buckthorn prevents the invasive’s re-establishment
This study shows that seeding native grasses after buckthorn removal can partially suppress re-establishment in semi-open forests. By increasing herbaceous cover and reducing light, this approach lowered buckthorn growth and survival—especially soon after management—resulting in 47% fewer and 81% smaller seedlings while reducing future control needs.
Schuster, M. J., Wragg, P. D., Roth, A. M., Bockenstedt, P., Frelich, L., & Reich, P. B. (2025). Revegetation of Elymus grasses suppresses invasive Rhamnus cathartica in deciduous forest understories. Ecological Engineering, 210, 107438. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107438
Seasonal insights present new knotweed management strategy
Understanding how herbaceous perennials store and use carbohydrates to regrow each year can help guide management and improve control of invasive species. This study shows that tracking seasonal carbohydrate storage in Bohemian and Japanese knotweed can guide management. The team observed that starch levels dropped during summer growth and peaked after dieback. To best deplete reserves, they say, remove shoots in June to July, let regrowth occur in September, and apply systemic herbicides in late summer before leaves decline, maximizing underground uptake.
Becker, R. L., Mentz, R. S., Smith, A. G., Annor, G. A., Singh, N., Sarangi, D., Anderson, N. O., Heuschele, D. J., Katovich, E. J., & Clark, M. D. (2025). Seasonal nonstructural carbohydrates in the crowns and rhizomes of in situ populations of Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) and the hybrid Bohemian knotweed (Polygonum × bohemicum). Weed Science, 73, e38. https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2025.11
Eastern spruce dwarf mistletoe’s role in forests
Researchers studying eastern spruce dwarf mistletoe (ESDM) in northern Minnesota found that ESDM increases species richness, structural diversity, and alters tree size in peatland black spruce forests. The findings help reveal species composition patterns, support ecologically based forest management, and highlight the importance of including non-stand-replacing disturbances in understanding forest development.
Gray, E. R., Russell, M. B., & Windmuller-Campione, M. A. (2025). The role of eastern spruce dwarf mistletoe in stand dynamics of lowland black spruce forests in Minnesota, USA. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 55, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2024-0244
Advances in LAMP testing
Recent advances in organism detection improve disease diagnosis, but methods like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) require costly, complex lab work to read results. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) offers a simpler, rapid, and sensitive alternative, using constant-temperature testing with visual readouts for easy on-site use. This review highlights new LAMP visualization techniques and their practical applications.
Novi, V. T., Meher, A. K., & Abbas, A. (2025). Visualization methods for loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays. Analyst, 150(4), 588–599. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4AN01287A
How heat and drought affect carbon cycling in soil
This study tested how warming and reduced rainfall affect the decomposition of fungal necromass using Hyaloscypha bicolor, a species that helps break down dead plant tissue in the soil. Early decay sped up under altered conditions, but the team noticed that total decomposition slowed by 14 weeks. Changes in moisture and temperature also shifted microbial communities and their carbon and nitrogen processing, showing climate impacts on soil decomposition.
Cantoran, A., Maillard, F., Bermudez, R., Stefanski, A., Reich, P. B., & Kennedy, P. G. (2025). Warming and reduced rainfall alter fungal necromass decomposition rates and associated microbial community composition and functioning at a temperate–boreal forest ecotone. Global Change Biology, 31(10), e70536. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70536
Bacteria enable female-only reproduction in aphid parasite
Scientists discovered that the aphid parasite Alloxysta brevis can produce female offspring without mating, a process called thelytoky. Experiments showed that this female-only reproduction is caused by Wolbachia bacteria, providing the first evidence of Wolbachia-driven asexual reproduction in this group of wasps. These findings show how Wolbachia bacteria can control reproduction in Alloxysta brevis, influencing population dynamics, biological control potential, and the wider understanding of insect evolution.
Dregni, J., Lindsey, A. R. I., Ferrer-Suay, M., Celis, S. L., & Heimpel, G. E. (2025). Wolbachia-mediated parthenogenesis induction in the aphid hyperparasitoid Alloxysta brevis (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Charipinae) (p. 2025.06.30.662338). bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.30.662338
Does emerald ash borer infestation alter ash phloem microbial communities over time?
In this study, researchers examined how emerald ash borer attacks change the bacteria and fungi living inside ash trees over time. They found that beetle-infested trees had very different microbial communities than healthy trees, even in parts of the tree not yet directly damaged. As infestation progresses, microbes associated with disease become much more abundant. Overall, the results show that emerald ash borer strongly reshapes a tree’s microbial environment as it spreads.
Mann, A. J., Mogouong, J. T., Showlater, D. N., Held, B. W., Bushley, K. E., & Blanchette, R. A. (2025). Does emerald ash borer infestation alter ash phloem microbial communities over time? Phytobiomes Journal. https://doi.org/10.1094/PBIOMES-06-25-0046-R
Dynamic timelines required for development of new insect genetic pest control technologies
Experts applied the concept of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) to the development of genetic biocontrol strategies for terrestrial invasive species. TRLs were originally developed by NASA and are meant to quickly characterize how close a technology is to being “mission ready.” The team noted that certain genetic methods behind the production of a genetic biocontrol agent are likely to experience delays at unique, foreseeable stages in the technology development process. The approach is meant to clarify communications about how close a genetic biocontrol agent might be to use in the field.
Smanski, M. J., Morey, A., & Venette, R. (2025). Dynamic timelines required for development of new insect genetic pest control technologies. Entomologia Generalis, 45(6), 1537–1546. https://doi.org/10.1127/entomologia/3636
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