July 21, 2005
X.B. Yang, Iowa State University professor of plant pathology, has been named a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society.
Yang was honored for his studies on plant disease risk-assessment, the impact of climatic changes on plant health and the effects of El Niño on plant health.
Yang received his bachelor's and master's degrees from China Agricultural University and completed his doctorate work in 1989 at Louisiana State University. Yang's research focuses on soybean plant disease epidemiology with an emphasis on large-scale disease patterns and prediction, impacts of climate change and disease risk assessment.
Yang also is a member of the Iowa Soybean Rust Team and received $389,000 in April to coordinate sentinel soybean plots in 20 states. The funding is being used to monitor the plots and provide an early warning system for Asian soybean rust.
The society includes 5,000 international scientists dedicated to advancing the science of plant pathology and its application to plant health. The award is given annually to members who have made outstanding contributions to plant pathology or to the American Phytopathological Society in research, teaching, administration, professional and public service, or extension and outreach.