Fernandez, Myriam, Ph.D.

Cereal Pathologist

Contact Information:

PO Box 1030
Swift Current , Saskatchewan S9H 3X2
Telephone: 306-778-7255
Fax: 306-778-3188
Email: myriam.fernandez@agr.gc.ca

Areas of Expertise:

  • cultural control
  • disease resistance
  • cultivar development
  • crop production system
  • crown rot
  • chemical control
  • leaf spot
  • integrated pest management
  • root rot
  • biological control
  • fungal diseases
  • pulses
  • breeding for disease resistance
  • cereal crops
  • plant/crop management
  • plant diseases
  • kernel disease
  • field crops

Current Projects:

  • Assessment of crop varieties to cope with biotic agents and determine the risks to crop production.
  • Development of methods to measure disease intensity and evaluate pathogen, insect and weed populations (in seeds, crop residues, etc.)
  • Evaluation of several native plants in Labrador and Terre-Neuve
  • Enhance resistance to Fusarium head blight in major wheat quality classes to improve food safety through reduced mycotoxin content
  • Enhancement of fusarium head blight resistance of durum wheat to improve food safety and reduce business risk for sustainable cropping systems
  • Identify and quantify environmental and cultural factors that influence pest status
  • Improve/maintain resistance to leaf and stem rust, leaf spot diseases, common bunt, leaf spot diseases, root/crown rot, kernel discoloration, loose smut, powdery mildew, viruses and Pythium
  • Improving quality and profitability of Durum wheat through nitrogen and disease management

Research Publications:

The links below lead to abstracts with access to full text.

2013:

  • Fox, S.L., Humphreys, D.G., Brown, P.D., McCallum, B.D., Fetch Jr., T.G., Menzies, J.G., Gilbert, J., Fernandez, M.R., Despins, T., and Niziol, D. (2013). "Cardale hard red spring wheat.", Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 93(2), pp. 307-313. doi : 10.4141/cjps2012-236
  • Fox, S.L., Wise, I.L., Smith, M.A.H., Humphreys, D.G., Brown, P.D., McCallum, B.D., Fetch Jr., T.G., Menzies, J.G., Gilbert, J., Fernandez, M.R., Despins, T., Lukow, O.M., and Niziol, D. (2013). "Shaw hard red spring wheat.", Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 93(2), pp. 299-305. doi : 10.4141/cjps2012-137

2012:

2011:

2010:

2009:

Other Science Related Publications:

2012:

  • Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Miller, S.G., Northover, P.R., Weitzel, C.N., Shiplack, J.J., and Fernandez, M.R. (2012). "Fusarium Head Blight in Barley in Saskatchewan in 2011.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 92, pp. 65-66.
  • Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Miller, S.G., Northover, P.R., Weitzel, C.N., Shiplack, J.J., and Fernandez, M.R. (2012). "Fusarium head blight in common and durum wheat in Saskatchewan in 2011.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 92, pp. 102-104.
  • Fernandez, M.R., Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Miller, S.G., and Northover, P.R. (2012). "Leaf rust and stripe rust of common wheat and durum wheat in Saskatchewan in 2011.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 92, pp. 96-97.
  • Fernandez, M.R., Lim, S.R., Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Miller, S.G., and Northover, P.R. (2012). "Leaf spotting diseases of common and Durum Wheat in Saskatchewan in 2011.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 92, pp. 98-101.

2011:

  • Fernandez, M.R. (2011). "Associations of glyphosate with Fusarium diseases of cereal and pulse crops.", National Research Council Canada - Plant Biotechnology Institute (NRC-PBI), Saskatoon, SK,, October 5, 2011. (Presentation)
  • Fernandez, M.R. (2011). Reaction to leaf spots of registrations (C-level) and pre-registration (B-level) entries in 2011 at different locations in Saskatchewan., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)/Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada (AAC). (Report)
  • Fernandez, M.R., Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Northover, P.R., and McCartney, C. (2011). "Leaf spotting and rust diseases of common and durum wheat in Saskatchewan in 2010.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 91, pp. 92-94.
  • Fernandez, M.R., May, W.E., Chalmers, S., Savard, M.E., and Singh, A.K. (2011). "Effectiveness of fungicide applications at various growth stages on head/kernel diseases, and productivity of durum wheat in southern Saskatchewan.", 7th Canadian Workshop on Fusarium Head Blight (CWFHB) / Colloque canadien sur la fusariose, Delta Winnipeg Hotel, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, November 27-30, 2011, pp. 87.
  • Fernandez, M.R., Zentner, R.P., Basnyat, P., Gehl, D.T., Selles, F., Huber, D., and Kremer, R.J. (2011). "Glyphosate associations with Fusarium diseases of cereal and pulse crops.", Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology / Revue canadienne de phytopathologie, 33(2), pp. 240. (Abstract)
  • Fernandez, M.R., Zentner, R.P., and Gehl, D.T. (2011). "Influence of Pesticides on Pathogen Populations and Biological Control Agents.", 2011 Soil and Crops Workshop, University of Saskatchewan, Extension Division, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, March 7-8, 2011. (Presentation)
  • Fernandez, M.R., Zentner, R.P., and Gehl, D.T. (2011). "Influence of environmental pesticides on pathogen populations and biological control agents.", 2011 Soil and Crops Workshop, University of Saskatchewan, Extension Division, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, March 7-8, 2011. (Presentation)
  • Fox, S.L., Hucl, P.J., Spaner, D.M., and Fernandez, M.R. (2011). "Breeding wheat for organic production systems.", Organic Field Day 2011, AAFC Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre (SPARC), Swift Current, SK, Canada, July 10-14, 2011.
  • Miller, S.G., Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Northover, P.R., Weitzel, C.N., Shiplack, J.J., and Fernandez, M.R. (2011). "Fusarium Head Blight in common and durum wheat in Saskatchewan in 2010.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 91, pp. 90-91.
  • Miller, S.G., Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Northover, P.R., Weitzel, C.N., Shiplack, J.J., and Fernandez, M.R. (2011). "Fusarium head blight in barley in Saskatchewan in 2010.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 91, pp. 60-61.

2010:

  • Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Northover, P.R., Weitzel, C.N., Shiplack, J.J., and Fernandez, M.R. (2010). "Fusarium head blight in barley in Saskatchewan in 2009.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 90, pp. 66-67.
  • Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Northover, P.R., Weitzel, C.N., Shiplack, J.J., and Fernandez, M.R. (2010). "Fusarium head blight in common and durum wheat in Saskatchewan in 2009.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 90, pp. 98-99.
  • Fernandez, M.R. (2010). "Black point in wheat.", in Bockus, W.W., Bowden, R.L., Hunger, R.M., Morrill, W.L., Murray, T.D. and Smiley, R.W. (eds.) - Compendium of Wheat Diseases and Pests. 3rd Edition, American Phytopathological Society (APS).
  • Fernandez, M.R., Boire, M.R., Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., McCartney, C., and Northover, P.R. (2010). "Leaf spotting diseases of barley in Saskatchewan in 2008.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 90, pp. 64-65.
  • Fernandez, M.R., Boire, M.R., Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Northover, P.R., and McCartney, C. (2010). "Leaf diseases of common and durum wheat in Saskatchewan in 2009.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 90, pp. 100-104.
  • Sheng, M., Hamel, C., and Fernandez, M.R. (2010). "Effect of tillage, crop rotation and glyphosate application on soil microbial community.", Micorhizes 2010, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada, October 28-29, 2010.
  • Singh, A., Fernandez, M.R., Somers, D.J., Pozniak, C.J., Clarke, J.M., Knox, R.E., Clarke, F.R., DePauw, R.M., and Singh, A.K. (2010). "Common root rot reaction in a diverse durum wheat collection and association mapping of resistance genes.", 8th International Wheat Conference (8IWC) and Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) 2010 Technical Workshop, St. Petersburg, Russia, June 1-4, 2010. (Poster)

2009:

  • Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Holzgang, G., Weitzel, C.N., and Fernandez, M.R. (2009). "Fusarium Head Blight in Barley and Oat in Saskatchewan in 2008.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 89, pp. 60-61.
  • Dokken-Bouchard, F.L., Holzgang, G., Weitzel, C.N., and Fernandez, M.R. (2009). "Fusarium Head Blight in Common and Durum Wheat in Saskatchewan in 2008.", Canadian Plant Disease Survey, 89, pp. 86-87.
  • Fernandez, M.R., Zentner, R.P., Basnyat, P., Gehl, D.T., Selles, F., Huber, D., and Kremer, R.J. (2009). "Glyphosate associations with Fusarium diseases of cereal and pulse crops.", 6th Canadian Workshop on Fusarium Head Blight (CWFHB) / Colloque canadien sur la fusariose, Marriott Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, November 1-4, 2009.
  • Knox, R.E., Campbell, H.L., Clarke, J.M., Fernandez, M.R., McLeod, G.J., and DePauw, R.M. (2009). "Registration of DT676 Loose Smut Resistant Durum Wheat Germplasm [Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(2), pp. 156-161] (Erratum).", Journal of Plant Registrations, 3(1), pp. 112.
  • Poscher, E., Schellenberg, M.P., Clarke, J.M., Fernandez, M.R., and McCaig, T.N. (2009). "Age and cultivar related differences in metal and metalloid concentrations in alfalfalfa.", 62nd Society for Range Management Annual Meeting, Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA, February 8-12, 2009, In: “Merging trails: Culture, Science, Innovation”. (Abstract)