Valley Laboratory
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
153 Cook Hill Road
Windsor, CT 06095
Voice: (860) 683-4982 Fax: (860) 683-4987
E-mail: James.LaMondia@po.state.ct.us 

Expertise:
Expertise in the biology and control of plant diseases caused by fungi, nematodes and complex diseases involving multiple soilborne pathogens. Areas of emphasis include non-chemical controls such as plant resistance and cropping systems with non-host or nematode-antagonistic plants. Examples include breeding for resistance to downy mildew, vascular wilt mosaic virus and cyst nematode pathogens, and IPM programs for nematodes based on sampling and damage functions.

Education:
B.S. Fitchburg State College (1979); Biology
M.S. Cornell University (1982); Plant Pathology
Ph.D. Cornell University (1984); Plant Pathology

Station Career:
Started as Assistant Scientist at the Station in New Haven in 1986, moved to Windsor to become the Pathologist at the Valley Laboratory in 1987, promoted to Associate Scientist in 1989, to Scientist in 1998, and to Chief Scientist in 2003.

Past Research:
At Cornell, worked on the population dynamics and management of the potato cyst nematode below detection and spread levels in soil by means of resistant potato cultivars and nonhost crops. Recent research has included the identification and management of fungicide resistance in foliar pathogens of ornamental plants.

Current Research:
Includes topics such as: the management of pathogens and fungicide resistance in small fruit and nursery crops; the management of root-knot and foliar nematodes in perennial herbaceous ornamentals; and the development of nonchemical management systems using resistant cultivars, nonhost rotation crops, and/or antagonistic crops which reduce populations of soilborne pathogens of strawberry, potato, and tobacco.

Selected publications available from the author, James.LaMondia@po.state.ct.us

• Halbrendt, J. M., and J. A. LaMondia. 2004. Crop rotation and other cultural practices. Pp. 909-930 in, Nematology, Advances and Perspectives. Z. X. Chen, S. Y. Chen, and D. W. Dickson, eds.
• LaMondia, J. A. 2003. Interaction of Pratylenchus penetrans and Rhizoctonia fragariae in strawberry black root rot. Journal of Nematology 35:17-22.
• LaMondia, J. A. 2002. Seasonal populations of lesion and root-knot nematodes in strawberry roots. Journal of Nematology 34(4):409-413.
• LaMondia, J. A. and D. E. Aylor . 2001. Epidemiology and management of a periodically introduced pathogen. Biological Invasions 3:273-282.
• LaMondia, J.A. 2001. Management of euonymus anthracnose and fungicide resistance in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, by alternating or mixing fungicides. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 19:51-55.
• LaMondia, J.A. 1999 The effects of rotation crops on the strawberry pathogens Pratylenchus penetrans, Meloidogyne hapla and Rhizoctonia fragariae. Journal of Nematology 31:650-655. 

• LaMondia, J.A., and S.M. Douglas. 1997. Sensitivity of Botrytis cinerea from Connecticut greenhouses to benzimidazole and dicarboximide fungicides. Plant Disease 81: 729-732.