David A. Moreira Cálix

I caught this methylene blue-stained Dorylaim farting/ excreting? We humans are not very different LOL! #UFBugs #UFNematodes

Plant pathogens caused an astonishing estimated yield loss of 560 million bushels, valued at $2.9 billion USD, between 2018 and 2021. 🌾 Read the article by @NDSUcerealpath et al. to learn more: doi.org/10.1094/PHP-09…

As a professor, pursue the careers of your PhD students and postdocs instead of pursuing your own. I know it may sound strange and even provocative. But in fact it is how it’s supposed to be. Unfortunately, a personal gain is the biggest motivation for many professors. More publications, more awards, more invited talks… Why? In addition to personal recognition, it can result in more funding and higher salaries (especially in the U.S.). Many PIs say that their personal growth also helps their students get a better visibility. Plus, more funding brings in more students, which is (kind of) “great” for those students. Others will say that their “tenure requirements are too demanding” and if they stop focusing on personal gain, they will be denied tenure. In either case, I want you to think about the following: 1. When we focus on personal achievements, we lose track of the wellbeing and personal preferences of team members. Although it often feels like we still track it, in fact we become far less efficient at it. Students' progress and personal development are impeded. Their career opportunities become less diverse or even missed. 2. Concentrating too much funding in one big lab is NOT a good idea because it leads to PhD students receiving far less mentorship and research advising (than in smaller labs). 3. Tenure requirements often look intimidating to young professors. However, in reality, very few professors are denied tenure. Why? First, because any university invest big resources into TT professors and don’t want get rid of them without a big reason. Second, because departments often exaggerate the tenure challenges to ensure their young hires are “hard-working faculties”. Many PIs think I am too idealistic and propose unrealistic ideas. And a lot of people will never agree with this post. Even myself, I can easily come up with bitter criticism over it. However, idealism is among the biggest driving forces. It can drive you through challenging times and help improve. In either case, I want you to think about the following: 1. When we focus on personal achievements, we lose track of the wellbeing and personal preferences of team members. Although it often feels like we still track it, in fact we become far less efficient at it. Students' progress and personal development are impeded. Their career opportunities become less diverse or even missed. 2. Concentrating too much funding in one big lab is NOT a good idea because it leads to PhD students receiving far less mentorship and research advising (than in smaller labs). 3. Tenure requirements often look intimidating to young professors. However, in reality, very few professors are denied tenure. Why? First, because any university invest big resources into TT professors and don’t want get rid of them without a big reason. Second, because departments often exaggerate the tenure challenges to ensure their young hires are “hard-working faculties”. My message is: If we all pursue the careers of your students/postdocs in the first place, this shift in priorities will make academia a much better world to live in. I see an increasing number of faculties trying to genuinely care for their team members, in all countries and academic environments. It is all possible. Just do it. Make science better. Oh, and don’t forget:  Growth of your team members = Growth of yourself. #AcademicTwitter #research #phdlife

🪱 We at #NEMEMERGE have been talking about and researching #nematodes for some time now, but what is a nematode❓ 🔎 In this #video, we take a closer look with the help of Aska Goverse @WUR_WCDI. Find out more in it 🎞 @EUAgri @HorizonEU @REA_research

📷 Per maggiori info sul XV Congresso Nazionale SIN e registrazione potete utilizzare il QR code qui in allegato. 🌲🌱🪱🎯 For more information on the XV National SIN Congress and to register, you can use the QR code attached here. Please share the link @CREARicerca

We need to have a long conversation about nematodes in MS. The first part of that conversation starts with “sample your soil to determine what’s present (species and # present)”. SOIL SAMPLES sent to @MSUextPlantLab ARE FREE through 3/31/2026 @MSSOY @changliunema #mscrops

🧬 Nematodes may be small, but they are bringing us together again! 🎉 Registration is OPEN for the 2025 Virtual Nematology Conference 🗓️ Nov 13–14 | 🕐 13:00–18:00 UTC 📢 More information soon! 🔗 Register and submit your abstract: tinyurl.com/VNC2025 #VNC2025 #nematology

🚀 Excited to share our new review published in Trends in Plant Science, coauthored with Dr. Victor Hugo Moura de Souza & Dr. Katharina Schiessl! 🌱 From hosts to parasites: Hormones driving symbiosis-induced de novo organogenesis 👉 authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S13…

Days 2 & 3 of #PCN Diagnostics Training Participants are getting hands-on with the Fenwick can method, steadily building confidence in cyst extraction. They've also begun using microscopes to differentiate cysts from spores, debris, and seeds—a key diagnostic skill in #Nematology

Throwback to this beautiful RCBD setup for our trials in Honduras testing sustainable solutions for nematode management. The experiments utilized organic amendments, such as chicken litter, with one also incorporating cover crops. #UFNematodes #LaborOmniaVincit

Here's one hard to find; sting and root-knot nematode damage on organic zucchini. #UFNematodes

On the right with the yellow X is a plot that was treated with Syngenta's upcoming new turf nematicide Trifenti... 2.5 years ago!

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#ICYMI: The deadline for New Product and Services submissions at #PlantHealth2025 is now May 30! Don't miss your chance to showcase your innovations in Honolulu this August. Submit today! bit.ly/4jrwIXo #Innovation #NewProducts

Pictures coming in every day from county agents and crop consultants. Poor, patchy growth in some fields of corn. More often than not, stubby-root and sometimes sting nematodes are the villains. Pictures here from Bleckley and Cook Counties. UGA Extension

NEMATODE MONDAY: 1st generation Southern Root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) on young tomatoes. Infected roots have small knots or galls. Eventually, infected plants will become stunted & yellow (Nitrogen deficiency) and may wilt in the heat of the day #Tomato #Nematode

Almost a month to go until our webinar "Nematode-Microbe Interactions" by Dr Olivera Topalović and PhD student Sandra Bredenbruch. 🗓 Save the date: 22nd of May 2025, from 15:00 to 16:15 CEST! 🔬 Stay tuned and don’t miss it! Register now!

As the vegetable season kicks off, we say goodbye to Joel, our intern from @EAPZamorano, as he returns to finish his BSc in Agronomy. We also welcomed Alex, our newest postdoc, who earned his PhD at UF a few years ago and has returned after spending some time back home in Greece!

New pub from my lab is available in the Journal of Nematology. Tested resistant Virginia-type peanut varieties and fluopyram for management of peanut root-knot nematode. Both worked well for managing abundances, but had some unexpected results with yield: sciendo.com/article/10.247…

Sting nematodes feeding on strawberry roots cause "stubby root" symptoms—roots become shortened, with rapid, distorted shoot growth that often clings to soil particles. #UFNematodes

New abamectin recommendation: based on recent research I now recommend the SPOT TREATMENT rate of abamectin for sting nematode on greens if applied during cool months when sting nematode is closer to the surface.