Contact
Biography
2021-present Professor in Plant Pathology
2016-2021 Associate Professor in Crop Pathology, University of Nottingham
2008-2016 Assistant Professor in Crop Science, University of Nottingham
2003-2008 Research Fellow Plant Pathology, Harper Adams University
Editor for Plant Pathology and Frontiers in Plant Science
Expertise Summary
- Development of novel approaches and field technologies for pathogen/disease detection:
- multispectral, hyperspectral and fluorescence signals to identify disease signatures and vision-based disease sensing for field use
- molecular diagnostics for soil and plant pathogens
- Physiological and genetic mechanisms of host-pathogen and pest-host-pathogen interactions and their consequences for crop protection
- Chemical control: Dr Ray collaborates with agrii industry on understanding the phytoactivity and bioaction of novel crop protection molecules
- Integrated disease management in cereals and oilseed rape
Teaching Summary
Teaching interests are within the areas of crop protection and plant pathology.
Convener:
BIOS 2014 Enterprise management challenge, level 2
BIOS 3011 Plant Disease Control, level 3
Contributor:
Plant Science Research Tutorials
Genetic Improvement of Crop Plants
Research Summary
Focussed on improving plant health, crop productivity and protection against pathogenic and pest threats to global food security. We aim to develop sustainable, integrated control strategies for… read more
Current Research
Focussed on improving plant health, crop productivity and protection against pathogenic and pest threats to global food security. We aim to develop sustainable, integrated control strategies for economically damaging diseases and/or pests. Main diseases of interest include Fusarium head blight of cereals, the soil-borne/stem-base disease complexes and Septoria tritici blotch of wheat. We are interested in the biology and control of sucking pests such as aphids and their interactions with crop hosts and plant pathogens.
Areas of research:
- novel approaches and field technologies for pathogen/disease detection in the environment
- physiological and genetic mechanisms of dual (host-pathogen) and tripartite (pest-host-pathogen) interactions
- phytoactivity, bioaction and effectiveness of novel crop protection active compounds
Research fellows and projects
BBSRC Dr Olubukola Ajigboye: Hijacking plant immunity: winners and losers in dual pest and pathogen attacks on a shared host
Syngenta Dr Dasuni Jayaweera: Molecular detection and quantification systems for soil pathogens
Syngenta: Physiological and genetic effects of biostimulants in crops
PhD students and projects:
BBSRC DTP Samuel Asamoah: Fusarium graminearium-aphid interactions in wheat
BBSRC DTP Isabelle Sims: Mechanisms of resistance of oilseed rape to Rhizoctonia solani AG2-1
BBSRC iCase with RAGT Patrick Seed: Mapping of Cougar resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici in wheat
Perry Foundation/RRES/UoN Dimitra Angelopolou: The role of photoprotection in wheat defence to Zymoseptoria tritici
Oman MoA Nasser Al-Abri: Biology and control of the dubas bug in date palm
Past Research
BBSRC/AHDB/Syngenta AGRI-TECH Cat5 ICAROS Integrated control of Rhizoctonia solani in OSR
BBSRC/Agrii/RAGT AGRI-TECH Cat 4 CAPTURE Developing novel sensors for disease and resilience in wheat
Syngenta: Integrated control of Fusarium head blight in wheat
BBSRC/TSB: Protecting the malting and brewing quality of UK barley cultivars through effective control strategies against Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) (SAFEMalt)
AHDB, British Wheat Breeders, BASFplc, Bayer CropScience Ltd, Syngenta Crop Protection UK Ltd: Forecasting eyespot development and yield losses in winter wheat
Future Research
PhD BBSRC/Syngenta iCase: Identification of candidate genes for resistance to aphids in wheat