HOBBS STATE PARK EVENTS

Social impact of plant disease presented

What do the following have in common: The Irish Potato Famine, the loss of the American chestnut/ Ozark chinquapin, death of American elm trees in forests, the return of detasseling corn, the preference of Brits for tea instead of coffee, and the source of LSD? All of these are the result of plant diseases. Plant disease can change the landscape as well as change human history.

Rose Gergerich, professor emeritus, University of Arkansas, explains, “I am a plant pathologist.

“In my earlier life (before retirement), I was a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. I’ve always wanted to develop a talk on the social impact of plant diseases. This would include the Irish Potato Famine, the introduction of the fungi that cause chestnut blight and Dutch elm disease, the southern corn leaf blight epidemic, etc. All of these diseases had major socio-economic impacts in the US. Plant disease epidemics will be discussed to illustrate the past and present vulnerability of the plants that sustain us all. I will follow up on the actions that need to be taken to avoid future epidemics such as these.”

Where: Hobbs State Park visitor center

When: 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16

Cost: Free

This program is a continuation of the Friends of Hobbs Speaker Series. To learn more about upcoming Friends of Hobbs speakers and other park programs, go to: friendsofhobbs.com/ and ArkansasStateParks.com.