We can't all be stars

Poor old Simon Cowell. He's made so much money from pandering to base instincts that there was bound to be a backlash. Best known for musical talent shows, I can now reveal that Simon is planning a new show. The Impact Factor (IF) will pitch the talents of research scientists against each other, with promises of prizes and professorships. Many are keen to take part, but there's only room for a few stars. Is Cowell and his organisation (Best Science Promises Prizes) in the best interests of science?

I'm not sure. I sense a backlash from those whose lives are not ruled by impact factors and a groundswell of scientists railing against the cult of IF. There is already a campaign to promote Rage Against the Publishing Machine ahead of the next IF winner. (Don't worry: no rude words will be used in the campaign, and tempers will remain even. You catch more flies with organic honey than you do with GM vinegar.)

Who's part of this alternative group? Mainly scientists who normally shun the limelight. Some of them were once IF wannabees themselves. Let's call them shadow scientists. They're all around you but not really noticed, and easily ignored. But here's the neat thing: the shadow scientists solve practical problems by applying the science of the Impact wannabees. Solving problems doesn't win many prizes. But just think: if there was no one to apply scientific knowledge why generate it?

Let's be clear. Shadow scientists admire colleagues who seek the bright lights. The IF wannabees cut the mustard, push the envelope and break down frontiers and good luck to them.

Shadow science is more Tea Time than Real Time PCR. But that doesn't mean it's not worthwhile. There are thousands of scientists gaining quiet satisfaction from making extension work better. Or finding out that huanglongbing has got to the Dominican Republic and that Zebra stripe has been in Texas for a long time.

We must be real scientists because we too can talk in riddles! So much in common yet not enough mutual understanding. I'm hoping Christmas will help everyone see sense.

Impact, impact and small guitars

I was pleased to learn that Paul Vincelli and Rob Wick both carry guitars when they go to conferences. My kind of plant pathologist! I met them at the National Plant Diagnostic Network second national meeting last week, having been kindly invited by Jim Stack. The NPDN is an impressive organisation, bringing together 62 labs across the country. Prior to 2001 they sort of linked together (but not enough to raise the alert on plum pox virus: in the US for three years before official action was taken to combat it).

The creation of the NPDN has its roots in a malign event which was nothing to do with plant diseases. Nurses started with the Crimean War; the Irish Potato Blight epidemic gave rise to extension. Good comes out of bad. FDRs New Deal brought rural electrification to the US ... and so on.

But back to the NPDN. The emphasis was on surveillance of plant pests, how diagnostic labs monitored and detected the insects and diseases that regularly appear in the US. Soybean rust, greening disease, Zebra stripe, Asian longhorn beetle and so on. (Though Zebra stripe has been around for some time. It was only recently that its cause was identified. The Emerald Ash Borer is on the march and labs are helping to map where it's got to.

I was equally impressed by the organisations that work with and through NPDN and you'll see the National Institute for Food and AGriculture (NIFA), APHIS and of course USDA all linking with the diagnosticians. The meeting gave me an opportunity to move from advocacy of GPC methods to a more critical review. From hallelujah to 'hello what's this all about'. Jeff B and Bolivian colleagues undertook an impact assessment study in Bolivia in July and the results are key to putting a value on what clinics achieve. I'm thrilled by the results because they value for the first time the net economic gains from recommendations given to farmers at clinics, thus valuing the noble efforts of plant doctors, the organisations they work for and of course the support the GPC gives. Win, win, win.

I've been going through the Bolivia report and marvelling at the work that went into the study. 238 clinic users were interviewed and questioned about the net benefits they obtained from recommendations. It's not as easy as it sounds. How many adopted the recommendations in the first place (around 90%)? Did production costs decrease or increase following adoption? What was the change in value of the harvest? Was the study group representative of the farmers who used the clinics from 2003 to 2009? Did poor farmers benefit as much as those that were more prosperous (short answer no: though significant gains are clearly evident). And so on. I'd better stop before I blurt out the net gains for ALL the study group and do a quick extrapolation to all clinic users since 2003. First, get the facts right. Second, check your methods. Third, have others peer review your results and conclusions. Impact, impact, impact.

Photo is from Kerry's Klassic Plants - the most enormous plant houses with bromeliads and orchids all ready to go into houses. And probably die. Good for business though.

Odyssey to Ithaca

Not the mythical journey to Homer's island (Ithaka), but a real life treck to upstate New York and the home of Cornell University. I was visiting with Rebecca Nelson, who helps to manage programs sponsored by the McKnight Foundation, and meeting with people who work in international development. I also had the pleasure of meeting Per Pinstrup Andersen, a notable (great) Dane who won the World Food Prize in 2001 and headed IFPRI for many years.

Britain is full of facile prejudices and assumptions about the USA. A few turn out to be sort-of-true. Folk can be a tad gullible, though we might more kindly describe this as willingness to listen to others. But in truth we risk suggesting that, ipso facto, great countries lack flaws. Take Scotland, my unbiased choice for comparison: great scenery, friendly folk, fine universities (I went to one) and a diet too often die for. Want a reasoned debate about the merits of the English football team? Forget it.

Cornell is delightful, small, cosy, academic and full of enquiring minds. More please. The international program is diverse and, unlike UK universities, covers the gamut from biological sciences aiming at production improvements (to generalise) through to wider examinations of the causes of poverty, food insecurity and so on. I hadn't realised it until Per Pinstrup mentioned the separation of universities in East Africa from the more powerful and prestigious national research organisations. Makerere versus NARO in Uganda: University of Nairobi versus KARI (see photo) in Kenya. The universities claim, not without reason, that this has drained resources from organisations that should be more active in research.

Then I thought of the UK with departments of international development in places such as IDS at Sussex and East Anglia University, Rothamsted Research/International linked to BBSRC, ODI and IIED and so on. The sad loser in all this appears to be agriculture. Would we have more international development linked to the practice of agriculture if all resesarch was hosted at UK, Ugandan and Kenyan universities. What about ICAR institutes in India and the universities?

My impression is that Cornell has greater potential to combine research and practice: maize and wheat breeding with policy and social science investigations. Of course it doesn't follow that people actively collaborate because they inhabit the same campus. Still, it must help if you can swap between Rebecca's maize lab and Per Pinstrup's office in less than 10 minutes. Finally, I talked with Terry Tucker, Director of Academic and Professional Development Programs, about internships for Cornell students through the GPC. It would be good to tap in to the keen interest of many students in international development.

Become a Sandinista

I say this because the politics of Nicaragua are intimately involved with work. Scientists and extensionists are affected (afflicted?) by their perceived allegiances, and it seems never more so than today. It's a sad reflection on the struggle to create a fairer society. Revolution today means endless revolving doors for political groups. Should allegiances determine who wins and who loses?

But before we become too philosophical, let us celebrate the wonderful achievements of Nicaragua in creating good change. It started back in 2005 when the GPC was invited to establish plant clinics, based on successes in Bolivia. In truth, these successes were rather small, yet the results from the Postas para Plantas were enough to convince people in Nicaragua that they could do something similar. The results today excede the GPC expectations. There are regular clinics and committed organisations. They exist on shoestrings but at least they are strong shoestrings. Well done Nicaragua. A revolution to be proud of!

OK, I've tried to upload an image of a fact sheet. The WiFi in Los Arcos in Esteli won't allow me. I'll try to add this later. (And now I'v succeeded in León.)

Today we completed another course for plant doctors. There were 24 people who came to La Campina, just outside Esteli. We (me, Yelitza, Sol) explained how to write fact sheets (hojas volantes in Spanish), improve your photography (does anyone else teach this?) and carry out farmer peer-reviews. Honest people who are largely outside the normal project perspective. They done well.

Rose problems

The Guardian Quick Crossword usually starts with simple clues then trips you up with some 16th century Italian painter you couldn't possibly have heard of. But there is at least one fiendishly difficult setter, and he or she has been on for the last few days. I got there eventually with 'in opposition to' the last clue: not contra, or against (too many letters) but versus. Scut was a hare's tail yesterday.

Still waiting for the day that 'phytoplasma' is an answer. Here's another possible example taken from near Bangalore. Looks plausible, though as always getting the blighters out of the plant and confirming them requires skill.

There's always the possibility of confusion with mites. The second photo shows mite damage on marigolds, again from the Bangalore trip. The leaves were silvered, beginning to curl up and showing the general damage I often associate with insect attack. Except this time I saw this unusual flower development. I'm pretty sure this is also mite damage but after spectacularly calling bean angular leaf spot a bacterial disease (coz the spots were angular ...) I should hesitate a little before pronouncing. The white beard and loud voice adds gravitas to diagnoses but is no guarantee of accuracy. Bean angular leaf spot is of course a fungal disease.

Time to pack up and head out on AA something other, my connecting flight to Managua. Then I'm being driven the two hours up to Esteli for a course. Better get the material ready.

It's sort of like

Monica Elliott of the U Florida explains a simple technique for teasing fungi such as Phytophthora out of diseased tissue. Oops! Did you spot the deliberate mistake? Phytophthora is no longer a fungus. It is now officially fungus-like. Great news when you're teaching agronomists what types of organisms cause disease. "We've just added a new group of pathogens."So when is a fungus not a fungus? When it's fungus-like.

I urge taxonomists to go further. I'd like to encourage the introduction of bacterium-like, virus-like and nematode-like. Even phytoplasma-like. We did have mycoplasma-like organisms at one time, so there is a precedent. Let's not stop with pathogens (and pathogen-like organisms) and have diseases that are blight-like, wilt-like and rot-like.

But there is a serious question here: how do you describe the symptoms shown above on chilli in Georgia. The plants are clearly diseased, with yellowing, decline and hints of a wilt. If I knew more about chillies I might have a better idea of what's happening. Could be anything, but it more closely resembles a virus. Let me know, like, if you can help.

Maiden century

I refer to blogs and not cricket, a sport that few Scots would get worked up about. So what goodies are there in store for blog 100? First, an unusual set of symptoms on Forsythia. See what you think: is this evidence of climate change in Dorset?

Back in August held a quality control course in Bolivia. This includes going to observe and analyse a clinic in action. I wandered round Los Negros and ended up with Agapito in his agrochemical shop. He very kindly agreed to an interview.

Listen to Raman Murthy of Biocontrol Research Laboratories in Bangalore explain his group's idea of a plant health(care) system. Then compare with another group's diagram shown in the photograph. I like the first group's thoughtful analysis of how people, services and skills link together. Lots of scope for improvement.