2024-10-04

Farewell and welcome party

Merry-san has successfully received her Ph.D. at the graduation ceremony held on September 25th. Congratulations!! She also received the Dean's Award for her excellent research activities. I am very proud of you, Merry-san. She went back to her country and will work as a lecturer at the University of Indonesia.
New students Shela-san and Yuliza-san just arrived the day before the graduation ceremony, so we had a lunch party to say goodbye and welcome them. 

 

2024-9-10

New puplication

We have identified the mode of action of Allorhizobium vitis VAR03-1, an antagonistic bacterium that can suppress crown gall disease in grapevine. Because colonization of such biocontrol agents is important for their activity, we characterized the colonization pattern of A. vitis VAR03-1 using an agar system with Arabidopsis thaliana. A. vitis was able to form colonies around the primary root, but its density was higher in the upper region near the shoot. Interestingly, Pseudomonas protegens Cab57, another biocontrol agent, did not form colonies and seems to colonize the root surface. We found that these differences in pattern were dependent on their requirements for nutrients such as sugars and organic acids for growth. Congratulations Merry-san!!
 
Nutrient requirements shape the preferential habitat of Allorhizobium vitis VAR03-1, a commensal bacterium, in the rhizosphere of Arabidopsis thaliana
Plant and Cell Physiology

2024-9-10

ACPP2024 and Jiling University

We attended ACPP2024 in Chanchung. We were fortunate to have our presentation selected for a concurrent session, which was very valuable as we were able to network with session organisers and presenters. We would like to thank the organisers. Ph.D. student Bao-san also presented his poster. We and a Chiease Ph.D. student from Kobe University visited a public bath and a shopping mall thanks to Bao-san's great help. It was so amazing. After the conference, we visited Jiling University and gave a talk for the science and the short-stay program at Okayama University. We appreciated the warm welcome and the delicious Chinese food. It was also a great international exchange.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2024-4-19

Farewell tea patry

Two foreign graduate students from Indonesia spend 3 months in our laboratory. Their visit was supported by a scholarship from JASSO. They learned basic techniques of pathogen inoculation as well as gene expression analysis. Their exepriments and stay were well-supported by Ph.D. students. We had a farewell tea party with cakes! 
 

 

2024-1-18

New puplication

We identified the alphaoroteobacterial phage tail-like bacterion (so-called tailocin), named rhizoviticin. responsible for the biocontrol activity of Allorhizovium vitis VAR03-1 against grapevine crown gall disease. This sudy was made possible by the hard work of many students, particularly Kirara, Tomoya, Natsuki, and Merry.
 
Rhizoviticin is an alphaoroteobacterial tailocin that mediates biocontrol of grapevine crown gall disease The ISME Journal (2024) 18(1), wrad003

2023-10-18

A new semester

Three highly-motivated foreign PhD students have joined our laboratory. A very warm welcome to all! The benches and desks are currently full. I will do my best to supervise their satisfactory performance, experience, and achievements.
 

2023-08-17

Presentations at 2023 IS-MPMI Congress

We presented our research at the 2023 IS-MPMI Congress held in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. It is very important to learn about the latest scientific trends and atmosphere in our field by attending the high quality scientific international conferences. We thank the participants for great discissions and comments. We have already started new experiments based on thier suggestions. The students looked like they were enjoying their trip to the US for the first time, so I was very happy.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2023-06-20

A party

My lab member organized a surprise party to celebrate my promotion to professor. I was very touched by their congratulations and hospitality. I will never forget that day.
 

2022-10-24

Presentations at the onsite scientific meeting

Two PhD foreign students presented their studies at a meeting of Phytopathological Society of Japan held at Kochi city. The traveling for a conference is the first time for them in Japan, as they have had only online conferences for so long due to COVID-19. We enjoyed short trip and foods.
 

 

 

2022-04-06

Call for PhD students supported by the MEXT scholarship

Our Graduate School is pleased to recommend individuals as doctoral students under the MEXT scholarship. Because we have 18 openings this year, the competitive ratio will drop significantly, I hope. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in pursuing a PhD in my laboratory in the field of plant pathology or plant-microbe interactions. The applicants who have publications and conference presentations will be an advantage. Also, there are special slots available for those from Asia or Africa who hold positions such as faculty members (any such as lecturer, assistant demonstrator, or others) at universities or research scientists at research insitutes.

2022-04-06

Graduation

A PhD student Mai-san successfully received her doctor's degree. Conglatulations! The part of her thesis has been published in Life (MDPI). Her initial research item did not work out well and changed the directions on her way. It was so difficult situation for the students because the research activity was severely restricted due to COVID-19. However, she worked so hard and concentrated for her goal, then produced many output. I am proud of you, Mai-san.
A master course student Bao-san from China also got his master's degree on March. He wanted to visit Japan for Master's course and sent me an e-mail. After a long discussion about his study and career formation in Japan, he came to Japan. His student life was also greatly limited but he worked diligently on his research. He discovered many interesting phenomena on the interaction between plant and commensal bacteria. His achievements have been passed on to another foreign student.    
 

2021-11-29

Ph.D. student from Sri Lanka

Neranjana-san who is supported by the MEXT scholarship arrived safely after 2 weeks of quarantine. Welcome to my lab! He will spend a half year for Japanese language education and start officially from next April. 
 

2021-10-08

Ph.D. student from Indonesia

Merry-san supported by the MEXT scholarship arrived after a 1-year pending period due to COVID-19. Welcome!  
 

2020-09-15

A paper

A Ph.D. student Sobhy's paper is out in Scientific Reports. Well done, Sobhy. Congratulations!
 

2019-07-30

Conference

We attended 2019 IS-MPMI XVIII Congress held in Glasgow. Great history and progress of this scientific feild were presented in a short period of time and the conrefence was very exciting and fruitful. Our presentations in this meeting are listed below.
 
Yoshiteru Noutoshi
An approach to study rice sheath blight disease using Brachypodium distachyon
on a satellite meeting, New Insights into Rice-Pathogen Interactions
 
Yoshiteru Noutoshi et al.,
Molecular suppressive mechanism of a biocontrol agent Rhizobium vitis VAR03-1 against grapevine crown gall disease
 
Sobhy Salama Hussein Abdelsalam et al.,
Characterization of expression profile of effector genes of Rhizoctonia solani on Brachypodium distachyon
 
Yusuke Kouzai et al.,
Time-series transcription analysis of Brachypodium distachyon in response to the infection by Rhizoctonia solani
 
Nobuaki Ishihama et al.,
Identification and characterization of small-molecular compounds that inhibit salicylic acid-mediated signaling pathway in Arabidopsis
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

2018-06-05

Paper

Our paper is published in Plant Chemical Genbomics as a part of the Methods in Molecular Biology book series. Link 
 

2017-12-03

Paper

Our microbiology paper has been published in JGPP. Well done, Kirara!
 

2017-10-20

Paper

Our paper is out in New Phytologist. Well done, Yusuke!
 

2017-10-01

A PhD student

A PhD student coming from Egypt join our lab. He is highly motivated!
 

2017-09-21

Scientific meetings

I and a master course student attended 2017 The Japan-Korea Joint Symposium and 2017 Asian Conference on Plant Pathology held on 12th-16th September at Jeju Island in Korea. He seemed to enjoy discussion and communication with students and researchers in English. After the conference, we also attended an annual meeting of The Phytopathological Society of Japan for Kansai area. Due to a typhoon, the flight was delayed and my student gave an oral presentation just after arriving from Korea in a meeting for young students held on the day before the meeting. The talk was so good because he could well prepare the slides and talk while waiting for the flight. Well-prepared talk is the basics of good presentation.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017-09-03

Lab Trip

We enjoyed a trip to Shodo Island in Seto Inland Sea. After fishing, cooking of a number of small fishes was tough work but taste was good.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017-04-17

Presentations of graduate thesis

Two undergraduate students talked their studies.
 

　

2016-08-08

Presentations at 2016 IS-MPMI Congress

I attended to 2016 IS-MPMI Congresss held at Portland in US with two graduate students from 17th to 21st July. It was my first time to take students to scientific meeting abroad. We are now studying biocontrol agent for grown gall disease in grapes so small trip to vineyards were very useful for us to see agricultural field. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016-05-16

New member

Dr. Ayako Moriya joins our Lab.

2016-04-04

Hanami-Party

We had a welcome party for new members and enjoyed full bloom of the sakura (cherry) at Mt. Handa. Many foreign students join this year. The students made Japanese mochi stuffed with sweet bean paste and strawberry by themselves. It was really nice.
 

 

 

 

 

 

2016-03-15

New publication and Research Highlights

Our study is introduced in the WEB site of out department.
 
Expression analysis of phytohormone-responsive marker genes in purple false brome reveals characteristic feature of defense system in monocots

2016-02-19

Presentation of graduation thesis

A graduate and two undergraduate students presented their studies. 
 

 

 

2014-11-18

A seminar

I invited Dr. Takashi Yaeno from Ehime University. He gave us a great talk regarding infection strategy and effector proteins in filamentous fungal pathogen. It would be a great opportunity for students since they asked many questions.

2013-11-07

New member

Ms. Mamiko Kimura joins our Lab.

2013-05-14

New member

Dr. Megumi Watanabe-Sugimoto joins our Lab. Megumi got Ph.D. at Okayama University and worked as postdoc at several places.

2013-04-01

New member

Dr. Yusuke Kouzai and Ms. Yurie Yamanaka join our Lab. Yusuke got Ph.D. at Tsukuba University and worked as postdoc at Prof. Eiichi Minami and Dr. Yoko Nishizawa Lab. in National Institute of Agrobiological Science for one year. Yurie comes from Dr. Hisae Hirata Lab. in Shizuoka University after getting master's degree.

2013-04-01

Moved to the different faculty in the University

Our laboratory moves to Faculty of Agriculture, Okayama University.

2013-01-21

e-Bulletin

Our studies are introduced in e-Bulletin of Okayama University.
Identification of new plant activator compounds for sustainable agriculture

2012-11-15

Highlight of the Month

Our studies are introduced in RIKEN RESEARCH.
 
Training plants in self-defense Screening of a chemical library reveals a bounty of molecules that could help protect food crops against infection

2012-11-09

English version of our lab HP

English version of the HP is prepared.

2012-11-05

Paper

Our paper has been published in PLoS ONE.

2012-10-25

A research grant

My research proposal for JST ALCA was successfully accepted. We will synthesize and screen a small cyclic peptide library for plant immune-priming chemicals and develop a novel crop protection technology.

2012-10-24

LabHP

Our Lab HP is newly set up!