West African Scientists Begin Studies at MSU

Press Release in September 2005

Bozeman-- As part of a three year USAID funded Ag-Biotech Program, six mid-level scientists have come from Mali, West Africa, to pursue graduate studies at MSU. The individuals are part of a larger team that will be assembling an Agribusiness Entrepreneurial Incubator Center that actively engages research institutes, universities, and the extension services to provide single-source information for food producers.

Assa Kante is a food scientist with an M.S. from Texas A&M. She currently is Director of Training for all of Institute d'Economie Rurale (IER) in Mali. She has been chosen as an ALO participant to obtain training in evaluation of adult education in order to direct the innovative outreach portion of the Agribusiness Entrepreneurial Incubator Center for Mali. She is pursuing graduate studies at MSU in Adult Education. Kante is accompanied by her son, Karim who is five and attending a local Montessori program.

Aissata Thera is an IER plant pathologist with a M.S. in plant protection from the University in Havana, Cuba. She has worked for many years with the tomato yellow leaf curl virus management in Mali and other Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. She has been chosen as an ALO participant to obtain training in developing and directing a self-sustaining disease-free seed potato program. Thera is accompanied by her 4 month old daughter, Hawa.

Keriba Coulibaly is an IER scientist working with seed selection and seed technologies. He was chosen as an ALO participant to obtain training in plant-based projects related to seed development and technology. He is currently enhancing his English with the ACE Institute and is being hosted by the Norm Weeden family of Bozeman.

Abdoulaye Camara is an IER plant pathologist with a M.S. in plant protection from the University in Havana, Cuba. He has worked for many years with the tomato yellow leaf curl virus management in Mali and other IPM programs. He has been chosen as an ALO participant to obtain training in developing and directing a soil microbiology program. Camara will work collaboratively with Dr. Stefan Jaronski USDA ARS-Sidney and the microbiology program on campus. He is currently enhancing his English with the ACE Institute and being hosted by the Steve Durbin and Kate Gardner family of Bozeman.

Adama Berthe is a professor of plant biotechnology at the University of Bamako, Institute of Agriculture sub-specializing in disease-free tissue culture techniques, particularly for seed potatoes. He has been chosen as an ALO participant to obtain training in developing and directing a self-sustaining disease-free seed potato program. Currently he is refining his English at the ACE Institute and being hosted by the Casey Cassidy and Bob Able family of Bozeman.

Sidy Ba an instructor in agricultural hydrology at the University of Bamako, Institute of Agriculture. He has been chosen as an ALO participant to obtain training in Environmental Engineering and Business Management in order to develop better methods of providing water quality. Currently he is refining his English at the ACE Institute, studying environmental engineering related to water quality and being hosted by the Diana Dusek family of Bozeman.

Keriba Coulibaly

• Major Advisor - Dr. Norm Weeden, plant genetics
• Co-Advisor - Dr. Florence Dunkel, postharvest ecology, natural product toxicology, entomology
• Committee members - not determined, possibly Dr. Michael Giroux
• Thesis topic - seed selection techniques for legumes, particularly Vigna vinculata, possibly exploring desirable preharvest and postharvest traits in existing land races of Malian V. vinculata.

• Major Advisor - Dr. Mark Burr, microbiologist, Land Resources and Environmental Scientists, Center for Biofilms Research
• Co-Advisors - to be determined, possibly Dr. Robert Peterson, risk assessment, entomology
• Mali Project Co-Advisors - Dr. Robert Gilbertson, virology, Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis; Dr. Florence Dunkel, natural product toxicology, entomology
• Committee Members - possibly Dr. Stefan Jaronski Insect Pathology/Microbiology, and/or Dr. Mark Young, Microbiology
• Thesis topic - the effect of antimicrobial, insecticidal plant materials used for pest management (such as products from Azadirachta indica and Tagetes minuta) on soil microflora, beneficial and soil-borne, disease-causing microflora.

• Major Advisor - Dr. Barry Jacobsen, Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology
• Committee members - Dr. Nina Zidak, Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology; Dr. Florence Dunkel, natural product toxicology, entomology
• Mali Project Coadvisor - Dr. Robert Gilbertson, University of California-Davis, Plant Pathology
• Plan A Thesis topic - Ralstonia solanacearum management in Mali for efficient production of disease-free seed potatoes

• Major Advisor - Dr. Barry Jacobsen
• Co-Advisor - not definitely determined, possibly Dr. Mark Young, Dr. Bill Grey
• Mali Project Coadvisors- Dr. Robert Gilbertson, University of California-Davis and Dr. Dunkel
• Plan B Paper topic - Factors crucial for sustainable, grower-supported, disease-free seed potato/microtuber production in Mali.