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Lina Rodriguez Salamanca

Instructor
  • Plant Disease Clinic Manager and Diagnostician
Lina Rodriguez Salamanca
114 Price Hall
170 Drillfield Drive
Blacksburg, Va. 24061
linar@vt.edu
540-231-6530

Overview

I have a three-way appointment in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences Plant Disease Clinic, 60% clinic manager and diagnostician, 32% teaching, 8% Extension and Service.

I manage the Plant Disease Clinic, I’m responsible for administering the laboratory and daily operation and collaborating on projects related to Diagnostics.  I diagnose plant problems from samples submitted to the clinic, report results, and provide disease management recommendations to clients to promote informed decisions, prevention, and risk mitigation.

I prepare and deliver educational curricula on plant disease and problem diagnosis to various audiences and stakeholders (growers, master gardeners, and extension agents). I maintain the VT Plant Problem Image Gallery as a disease diagnostic resource and promote its use as a monitoring tool.

I teach Plant Problem Diagnostics (PPWS 4154/5154) fall semester and the second class (TBD) in the spring semester.

Expertise

  • Plant Pathology 
  • Diagnostics
  • Plant health and Integrated pest management

 

Education

  • Ph.D. Plant Pathology, Michigan State University, 2013 
  • M.S. Plant Pathology, Michigan State University, 2010 
  • B.Sc. Microbiology, Universidad de Los Andes, 2005

 

  • Plant Problem Diagnostics (PPWS 4154/5154)

Instructor, Diagnostician, and manager | 2022-Present
Plant Disease Clinic
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Plant Pathologist and Diagnostician | 2015-2022
Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic
Plant Pathology Department
Iowa State University

Commercial Vegetable Crops Educator  | 2012-2015
Michigan State University Extension

  • 2021  Iowa State University Extension Team Pivot award COVID-19 Exceptional Efforts Award.
  • 2020  Iowa State University Professional and Scientific CYtation Award.
  • 2019 NPDN outstanding Serice Award

Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=RL4SdzUAAAAJ

Orcid (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2303-832X)

A Diagnostic Guide for Red Crown Rot of Soybean https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-04-22-0041-DG

Rose Rosette Disease: A Diagnostic Guide https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-05-22-0047-DG

Iles, L. C., Fulladolsa, A. C., Smart, A., Bonkowski, J., Creswell, T., Harmon, C., Hammerschmidt, R., Hirch, R., and Rodriguez Salamanca, L. 2021. Everything Is Faster: How Do Land-Grant University-Based Plant Diagnostic Laboratories Keep Up with a Rapidly Changing World. Annual Review of Phytopathology 59:333-349. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-phyto-020620-102557

  • NPDN Protocols and Validation Committee (Co-chair 2019-2022), APS Diagnostics committee, APS virology committee, APS Diseases of Ornamental Plants, APS Emerging Diseases and Pathogens Committee. 
  • Former member of the NPDN Regulatory Relations Committee, NPDN Professional Development Committee and NPDN Training and Education Committee
  • Plant Health Progress Senior editor (focused on Diagnostic Guide) 2021- current
  • Plant Disease Note(first report) assigning editor 2016-2018
Plant Disease Clinic