Academic | Raymond Parcon

🤩 Enjoyed sharing my research at the APS Southern Division Meeting 2026!

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I’m grateful for the opportunity to share our research and the work I’m doing at the 2026 American Phytopathological Society Southern Division Meeting in Athens, Georgia.

Being surrounded by people who share the same passion for plant pathology makes the experience even more meaningful. It’s inspiring to know that the research we do has the potential to make a real impact, especially for the communities and soybean growers who rely on it the most. 👨🏽‍🌾🌱

I’m also deeply thankful for the support and mentorship of my advisors, who inspire me to keep growing and to take on new challenges. 💪🏽

🤯 From Science Fair to International Conferences!

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I vividly remember how I kept on wishing to win in our science high school fair, hoping for a chance to present our little science project at regional level. Having earned the opportunity twice, it was one of the few moments that gave me a sense of being good at something, in a time when all I carried was self-doubt.

That kid, proud and grateful for making into regionals, had no idea he would one day share his passion for research on an international stage, beside scientists he once thought only exist in textbooks.

I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to attend my first and second scientific conferences to present my PhD research,

🧬 Soy 2025: 19th Biennial Conference on Molecular & Cellular Biology of Soybean 📅 July 23–26, 2025 🏫 University of Wisconsin–Madison 📍 Madison, Wisconsin

🌱 Plant Health 2025: International Annual Meeting of the American Phytopathological Society 📅 August 2–5, 2025 🌺 Hawaii Convention Center 📍 Honolulu, Hawaii

I’m deeply grateful to my research mentors, Dr. Shavannor Smith and Dr. James Buck, for their encouragement and support, to UGA Plant Pathology Department for defraying Plant Health 2025 registration, and to the UGA Graduate School for awarding me an International Travel Grant. These moments only strengthen my drive to pursue meaningful, translatable research for the benefit of the growers and the agricultural community. 🌱🔬🧬

Cheers! 🍻

📣 My first time sharing my PhD research with the public!

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to be one of the poster presenters at the recently concluded GAPP 2025. Listening to plenary speakers about their research was informative and inspiring. Talking to fellow plant pathologists about my research was exciting and fun!

Abstract

Frogeye leaf spot (FLS), caused by Cercospora sojina, is a major soybean disease responsible for 10–60% annual yield losses in key production regions such as the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and China. The disease is most severe in warm, humid conditions, with management relying on fungicide applications and resistant cultivars. The resistance genes Rcs1, Rcs2, and Rcs3 play crucial roles in soybean breeding, with Rcs3 providing broad resistance to all known U.S. races of C. sojina. However, the increasing genetic diversity of C. sojina has led to the emergence of new virulent isolates capable of overcoming host resistance. Recent studies in Georgia report high genetic variation among isolates, highlighting the pathogen’s adaptability. This study will use genomic comparative analysis and phenotypic analysis to correlate C. sojina genetic diversity and virulence with soybean resistance facilitating the development of genetic markers for early detection of C. sojina infections, and an approach to identify plant resistances genes that are effective against the current C. sojina population.