April 2002 Volumn 33 (1)

ONTA NEWSLETTER

ORGANIZATION OF NEMATOLOGISTS OF TROPICAL AMERICA

ONTA web site: https://ontaweb.org

 VOLUME 33 (1)
APRIL 2002

FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF NEMATOLOGY (FICN)

 TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN

 JUNE 8-13, 2002

As announced in the previous issue of the ONTA Newsletter, the 34th ONTA meeting will be held as part  the Fourth International Congress of Nematology (FICN)which is organized by the International Federation of Nematology Society (IFNS) and sponsored by the European Society of Nematologist (ESN). Maria Arias, ESN President, and Antonio Bello co-chair the Local Arrangement Committee (LAC) for the Congress, with the assistance of LAC members from Madrid and Tenerife (see ONTA Officers List). Maria is doing an outstanding job in organizing the Congress at the local level and in  handling questions about the Congress. Suggestions and ideas for the scientific program were solicited from every nematology society in the world. The scientific program was prepared on November 2001 by a Scientific Planning Committee which includes members of the Nematological Societies connected with IFNS. They are:  Thierry Vrain (Chair), Maria Arias (ESN), Antonio Bello (ONTA), John Marshal (AAN), Maurice Moens (ESN), Tom Powers (SON) and Forest Robinson(ONTA). ONTA members express  appreciation to the committee members for the time and effort spent in the organization of an outstanding scientific program. The scientific program includes 21 symposia on a) Biocontrol agents, b) Biodiversity and indicators, c) Compatible parasitic interactions, d) Entomopathogenic nematodes, e) Food webs, f) Global comparative management practices, g) Incompatible parasitic interactions, h) Management in subsistence agriculture, i) Marine and fresh water nematode, j) Molecular diagnosis, k) Morphology and development, l) Nematode parasitism, m) New strategies of chemical control, n) Non parasitic associations, o) Organic amendments, p) Phylogeny and evolution, q) Pine wilt nematode, r) Precision agriculture/GPS, s) Quarantine and regulatory, t) Resistance breeding against non sedentary nematodes, u) Resistance breeding against sedentary nematodes, v) Sensory response and behavior, and w) Vertebrate parasitic nematodes. In addition to these symposia there will be colloquia for special topics. As in the previous Congress (THINC)  held in Guadeloupe in 1996, all other presentations will be given as posters. The deadline for submission of posters expired on March 31, 2002. The scientific sessions are planned for four days starting Sunday June 9 and ending Thursday , June 13. The Plenary session, welcome and registration events will be held on Saturday, June 8. An excursion day is planned for Tuesday, June 11.

Reservations at the Tenbel Resort in Tenerife can be made directly from the website < www.tenbel.com/inglat.htm > A variety of special prices per person ranges 48-60 Euros (1 Euro = 0.87-0.95 US$) for a single room and 33-42 Euros for a double or triple room.

More information about the Congress, poster presentation, and student poster competition  can be obtained from IFNS and ONTA websites <http://www.ifns.org> and <https://ontaweb.org> or from Maria Arias (address in ONTA Officer List).

 As with the previous THINC in Guadeloupe, this Congress is expected to be well attended because of the excellent scientific program, interesting ecological and agricultural locale and the great opportunity to interact with nematologists from distant parts of the world. At this time more than 500 attendees and accompanying persons are registered.

ONTA INCOMING ELECTION AND NOMINATIONS FOR CANDIDATES FOR ONTA AWARDS

ONTA members are reminded to send  Peggy King, Secretary of ONTA (address in the ONTA Officer List),  the ballot for the election of ONTA Vice President.  Aurelio Ciancio and  Renato Crozzoli are the candidates running for this office . The results of this election will be available at the Congress in Tenerife.

ONTA members are also reminded to propose candidates for ONTA awards . Send nominations to the chairman of the Honors and Awards Committee, Forest Robinson, USDA, ARS, 2765 F&B Road, College Station, TX 77845; e-mail:<frobinson@cpru.usda.gov>. Requests for nomination of candidates of ONTA Awards  were mailed a few weeks ago.

JUAN HEYNS (1929-2001)

Juan Heyns died 21 December, 2001 due to cardiovascular complications. Juan  was born 26 April 1929 at Humansdorp in the Cape Province of South Africa.

He completed his high school career in 1946 gaining five distinctions and obtaining the second highest marks in the province for that year. His tertiary education led to his attaining outstanding achievements in all of his degrees. At the Stellenbosch University a B.A. (Cum laude) and a B. Sc. (agric.)(Cum laude), an M. Sc. (agric.)(Cum laude) at the University of Pretoria and ultimately a Ph.D. in agriculture at the University of Wisconsin, USA.

In 1954 Juan began his professional career with the Department of Agriculture at the Tobacco Research Institute, as it was then known, where he carried out research in Entomology and Nematology, working there until the middle of 1959. After receiving a study bursary from the Department of Agricultural Technical Services that same year, he undertook his doctoral studies in Nematology at the University of Wisconsin, USA under the mentorship of Prof. Gerald Thorne, completing his Ph. D. (agric.) at the end of 1961.

From 1962-1970 Juan worked at the Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria where he headed the Nematology Section and where he and his staff worked in the field of applied research and the taxonomy of nematodes, but gradually concentrating more on the biosystematics and taxonomy of nematodes.

In 1971 he joined the Rand Afrikaans University, where he worked, first as Senior lecturer and then as Professor. During this time he also lectured in a temporary capacity at various nearby universities. By the time of his retirement, at the end of 1994, he had already mentored as many as 25 M.Sc. and 13 Ph.D. students. He has also been the external examiner and promoter for numerous students completing their honours, masters and doctors degrees from six other South African universities.

Juan can truly be regarded as the father of nematode taxonomy in South Africa and with his first article on the new nematode genus and species Elaphonema mirabile in 1961 he started a personal career in nematode taxonomy equaled by only a few. By the end of 2000 he had already published 235, mainly scientific articles, alone and together with students and fellow colleagues, in which at least 520 new and known species, 27 new genera and two new families were described mainly from southern Africa but also from at least 28 other countries of the world. At this moment several more articles are still in the process of being published.

He was also very active in many other aspects of his field. He served on many scientific committees within and outside South Africa, was a member of at least thirteen scientific societies and was part of the editorial board of many scientific journals and refereed countless numbers of articles. Juan was a founding member of the Nematological Society of Southern Africa and attended all fifteen of the biennial congresses and in 1975 he arranged for the first short course in Nematology to be held at the Rand Afrikaans University. Through his endeavours two specialist Nematology courses were presented in 1984 in Johannesburg by Prof. A. Coomans of Belgium and Dr.J. Eisenback of the USA. He attended at least 24 international nematode and plant pathology congresses where numerous talks and posters were presented together with his students and co-workers. Juan co-operated with most Nematologists overseas and was instrumental in arranging visits of many prominent Nematologists to South Africa.

The scientific community honoured him for all his excellent work. In 1984 he received the Havenga prize from the SA Academy for Science and Art and he was also classified as a class A researcher by the Federation for Research Development. In 1982, 1988 and 1992 he received grants from the ” Belgiese Nasionale Fonds voor Wetenschappelik Ondersoek” to visit Belgium for three month periods. In 1995 the University of Stellenbosch honoured him with the prestigious D. Sc. degree in Agriculture. In 1996 he was elected Fellow of the European Society of Nematologists and in 1997 he was the first recipient of the honorary membership from the Nematological Society of Southern Africa.

In spite of this impressive scientific career we will also remember him for his many other interests. As a devoted birder he arranged most of his official and unofficial trips around some bird watching experience. During the last year of his life he undertook no less than twelve trips mainly to go bird watching. On each of these trips he collected soil samples and we at PPRI had a constant flow of soil samples coming in with the instruction to look for interesting nematodes which he still planned to work on. His last trip was in October to the Okovango swamps in Botswana where he collected numerous samples. He was a painter in his own right and many of us own some of his beautiful paintings. Stamp collecting was another of his hobbies. He had an impressive collection of beautiful stamps, naturally with birds as the main theme.  He was a person who undertook every task with the utmost enthusiasm. His zest for life was almost never ending whether he traveled, painted, watched birds or worked on his nematodes. We, as Nematology students and colleagues, will always appreciate the way he has shaped our minds and careers with regard to every aspect of Nematology. As friends we will always remember him as a loyal friend, generous in every way, his dedication to everything he did, his good humour and his sharp wit. We were privileged to have known him.

Our deepest sympathy goes to Errie and the children who have lost somebody dear to them but who will also remember him for the exceptional person he was.

Finally the ONTA Newsletter Editors would like to add their sincere acknowledgment to the memory of Juan Heyns who was a long standing member of  ONTA. He was an active member of the organization by attending the majority of ONTA meetings, providing valuable scientific contributions as well as moderating taxonomic sessions. He was a  friend of  ONTA editors and many other members who had the privilege to enjoy his pleasant personality and his scientific knowledge. ONTA members convey their deepest condolences  to his wife Errie who was his inseparable companion at many ONTA scientific events.

(This obituary was prepared by Esther Van den Berg.)

PASSED AWAY

We are sad to inform ONTA members that two nematologists well known for their outstanding contributions to the science of tropical nematology passed away during the last six months. They are Pierre Baujard  who died in France 4 December 2001 after a long illness and Luiz Gonzaga E. Lordello who died in Brazil 4 February 2002. These two eminent tropical nematologists will be remembered in the coming issues of the newsletter.

ONTA OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: Rodrigo Rodríguez-Kábana, Department of Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5409, USA. Tel:1-334-844-4714; FAX:1-334-844-1948; e-mail: <rrodrigu@acesag.auburn.edu>.

VICE-PRESIDENT: A. Forest Robinson, USDA, ARS, SCRL, 2765 F & B Road, College Station TX 77845, USA. Tel: 1-979-260-9234; FAX: 1-979-260-9337; e-mail: <frobinson@cpru.usda.gov>.

PAST-PRESIDENT: Antonio Bello, C.S.I.C. Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales, Serrano 115 DPDO, Madrid 28006, Spain. Tel: 34-91-562-5020; FAX: 34-91-564-0800; e-mail:<ebvb305@ccma.csic.es>.

SECRETARY: Peggy King, Department of Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5409, USA. Tel. 1-334-844-4714; FAX: 1-334-844-1948; e-mail: <pking@acesag.auburn.edu>.

TREASURER: Roberto Vargas, Department of Crop Protection, University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez Campus, P.O. Box 9030, Mayagüez, PR 00681-9030, USA. Tel: 1-787-265-3859; FAX: 1-787-265-0860;  e-mail: <r_vargas@rumac.uprm.edu>  or <nematodes4rva@hotmail.com>.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF NEMATROPICA: Edward C. McGawley, Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University, 302 Life Sciences, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, U.S.A. Tel: 1-225-769-0748; FAX: 1-225-388-1415; e-mail:<emcgawley@agcrt.lsu.edu>.

SPANISH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF NEMATROPICA: Soledad Verdejo, IRTA, Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Carretera de Cabrils S/N, Cabrils (Barcelona), Spain, Tel:34-93-750-7511; FAX:34-93-753-3954; e-mail:<soledad.verdejo@irta.es>.

EDITORS OF ONTA NEWSLETTER: Renato N. Inserra, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Nematology Section, P.O. Box 147100, Gainesville FL 32614-7100, USA. Tel: 1-352-372-3505, Ext. 115; FAX: 1-352-955-2301 or 2300;e-mail:<inserrr@doacs.state.fl.us> José A. Chavarría, Department of Crop Protection, Mayagüez Campus, University of Puerto Rico, P. O. Box: 9030, Mayagüez, PR 00681-9030, U.S.A.; Tel:1-787-265-3859;FAX:1-787-833-7765;email:<j_chavarria@rumac.uprm.edu>, or <jachavar@hotmail.com>.

BUSINESS MANAGER: Charles Weaver, Department of Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn AL 36849-5409, USA, Tel. 1-334-844-4714; FAX: 1-334-844-1948; e-mail: <cweaver@acesag.auburn.edu>.

MEMBERS AT LARGE: Robert McSorley, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110620, Gainesville FL 32611-0620, USA; Tel: 1-352-392-1901, Ext. 137; FAX: 1-352-392-0190; e-mail:<rmcs@gnv.ifas.ufl.eduMaurice Moens, Crop Protection Department, Agricultural Research Center, Burg Van Gansberghelaan 96, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Tel: 32-09-272-0271; FAX: 32-09-272-0215; e-mail: <m.moens@clo.fgov.be>.

 REPRESENTATIVES IN THE IFNS: A. Forest Robinson (see address under Honors and Awards Committee) and Renato Crozzoli, Univ. Central de Venezuela, Instituto de Zoologia Agricola,  Apartado 4975-A, Maracay,  Aragua 2101, Venezuela.  FAX:  58-43-507085;  e-mail:<rencro@telcel.net.ve>.

HONORS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE: A. Forest Robinson (Chair), USDA, ARS, SCRL, 2765 F & B Road, College Station TX 77845, USA. Tel: 1-979-260-9234; FAX: 1-979-260-9337;  e-mail: <frobinson@cpru.usda.govMarcelo E. Doucet, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Lab, de Nemat, Centro de Zoologia Aplicada, Casilla de Correo 122, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina. Tel: 54-51-322055; FAX: 54-51-332054; e-mail:<mdoucet@gtwing.efn.uncor.edu>; Franco Lamberti, Istituto Nematologia Agraria CNR, Trav. 174 Di Via Amendola 168/5, 70126 Bari, Italy; e-mail:<f.elia@area.ba.cnr.it>. Robert McSorley,(see address under members at large). Juan Carlos Magunacelaya, Universidad de Chile, Fac. de Agronomia, Casilla 1004, Santiago, Chile. Tel: 56-2-6785821; FAX: 56-2-6785812;e-mail: <jmagunac@abello.dic.uchile.cl>or<jmagunac@aix1.ucv.cl >.

NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE: Jim Rich (Chair), University of Florida, 30 Research Road, Quincy FL 32351-9500, USA. Tel: 1-850-875-7130; FAX: 1-850-875-7148;e-mail:<jrich@mail.ifas.ufl.edu> ; Renato N. Inserra, (address under ONTA Newsletter Editors); Nahum Marban-Mendoza Departamento de Parasitologia Agrícola, Universidad Autonoma de Chapingo, Montecillo, Edo. de Mexico, Chapingo 56230, Mexico. FAX: 52-595-40692; e-mail:<nahumm@taurus1.chapingo.mx>; Patrick Quénéhervé, ORSTOM Laboratoire de Nématologie, BP 8006-97259 Fort de France Cedex, Martinique (French West Indies). Tel: 596-645750; FAX: 596-717316; e-mail:<queneherve@ird-mq.fr>; Renata C. V. Tenente, EMBRAPA, CENARGEN, Sain Parque Rural, Cx. P. 2372, Brasilia D.F. 70849-970, Brazil. Tel: 55-61-348-1623; FAX: 55-61-348-4700;e-mail:<renata@cenargen.embrapa.br>.

SUSTAINING  MEMBER COMMITTEE: Saad L. Hafez (Chair), University of Idaho, Research & Extension Center, 29603 U of I Lane, Parma ID 83660, USA; Tel:1-208-722-6701, Ext. 237; FAX: 1-208-722-6708;e-mail: <shafez@uidaho.edu>. Greg  J. Burger, ILLOVO Sugar, Ltd., New Product Development, P.O. Box 31003, Merebank 4059, SOUTH AFRICA; Tel: 27-31-450-7700; FAX: 27-31-469-4922;e-mail:<gburger@illovo.co.za>; Ricardo J. Garcia, PMB 82-297, 705 Martens Ct., Laredo TX 78041-6010, USA; Tel:1-52-462-35802; FAX: 1-52-462-36313;e-mail:<central@corporacion-tri-com.mx>; Claudia Riegel, Dow AgroSciences, 8733 Siegen Lane, PMB 372, Baton Rouge LA 70810, USA; Tel:1- 225-767-8073;e-mail:<criegel@dowagro.com>; Richard Steckler, Organic Solutions, L.L.C., 10720 McCune Ave., Los Angeles CA 90034, USA; Tel: 1-877-467-4765; FAX:1-310-838-0337;  Ely V. Vea, ENTEK, 6835 Deerpath Road, Suite E, Elkridge MD 21075, USA; Tel: 1-410-579-1633, Ext. 528; FAX: 1-410-579-1633;e-mail:<evea@entekcorp.com>.

LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE FOR FICN: Maria Arias (Chair) C.S.I.C. Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales, Serrano 115 DPDO, Madrid 28006, Spain. Tel: 34-91-562-5020; FAX: 34-91-564-0800; e-mail:<Maria.arias@ccma.csic.es>, Antonio Bello (Co-chair, address under Executive Committee), other members at the same address of Maria Arias Susana CobachoJosé Carregno, Miguel EscuerAvelino García-AlvarezJavier Gutiérrez (Tenerife), Antonio López-PérezCasimiro MartínezBenjamín RodríguezJavier Tello, and Rodrigo Rodríguez-Kabana (U.S.A.), Javier Tello. (If not indicated members are from Madrid Spain).

ONTA FOUNDATION COMMITTEE: Charles Overstreet (Chair), Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, P.O. Box 25100, Baton Rouge LA 70894-5100, USA; Tel: 1-225-388-2186; FAX: 1-225-388-2478;e-mail: <coverstreet@agctr.lsu.edu>;  Joseph E. Eger, Dow AgroSciences, 4880 Bay Heron Place, Apt. 213, Tampa FL 33616, USA; Tel:1-813-835-8358; FAX: 1-813-835-4856;e-mail: <jeeger@dowagro.com>; Jenny Escobar,Junin 116 y Panama, Guayaquil Guayas 09-13293, Ecuador;e mail:<jenny.escobar@aventis.com>; Jim Rich;(see address under Nominations Committee); Marta Susana del Toro, Laboratorio de Nematologia Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Almirante Brown 500, 5505 Chacras de Coria, Luján, Mendoza, Argentina. Tel:54-61-960004, ext.2030; FAX:54-61-960469; e-mail:<mdeltoro@fca.uncu.edu.ar>.


ONTA HOME PAGE COMMITTEEAurelio Ciancio (Chair), Istituto di Nematologia Agraria, C.N.R., via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy;Tel:39-80-5484189;FAX:39-80-5484165;e-mail:<e085ac01@area.ba.cnr.it>;Khuong B. Nguyen, Dept. of Ent. and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611-0620, USA Tel: 1-352-392-1901, ext.193; FAX: 1-352-392-0190; e-mail:<kbn@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu>; Jimmy Rich (see address under Nominations Committee). Larry W. Duncan(Coordinator of the electronic version of Nematropica) University of Florida, Citrus Research and Education Center, 700 Experiment Station Road, Lake Alfred FL 33850-2299, USA; Tel:1-863-956-1151; FAX: 1-863-956-4631; e-mail: <lwdn@lal.ufl.edu>.

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