Sarah Green BSc, PhD

Project Manager, Centre for Forestry and Climate Change

Sarah Green joined Forest Research in 2001. She obtained a BSc (Hons) from the University of North Wales, Bangor, in 1990, and was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to undertake her PhD studies in plant pathology at Lincoln University, New Zealand, from 1991 to1995. Sarah then worked on the use of fungal pathogens as biocontrol agents based in Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, Canada from 1995-2001, latterly as part of the Canadian Government Visiting Fellowship Scheme.

Current role

Project Manager, Centre for Forestry and Climate Change

Forest Pathologist responsible for management of the Forest Research Northern Research Station's (NRS) pathology laboratory, and for developing and carrying out research projects to address important tree health problems in UK forests, focusing on fungal and bacterial diseases. Another important role is managing the Disease Diagnostic Advisory Service at our Northern Research Station and to diagnose and provide advice and information on tree health problems in northern Britain.

Current programmes

• Phytophthora lateralis
  Project Manager investigating the distribution and biology of the newly emerging pathogen Phytophthora lateralis in the UK.
• Horse chestnut bleeding canker
  Project Manager investigating the biology of the causal agent of horse chestnut bleeding canker, Pseudomonas syringae pathovar aesculi.
• Pests and pathogens in a changing climate
  Project Manager investigating the interactions between drought stress and fungal diseases of trees, with a focus on Armillaria root diseases and Phomopsis sp. on Sitka spruce.
• Use of real-time PCR for molecular diagnostics
  Project Manager developing new diagnostic assays for important tree pathogens.
• Tree Health Diagnostic and Advisory Service
• Editor of Path News

Affiliations and achievements

• Member of British Society for Plant Pathology
• Member of British Mycological Society
• Awarded a British Society for Plant Pathology Senior Fellowship for a study visit to the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute in 2008.

Research areas

• Distribution and genotyping of Phytophthora lateralis in the UK
• Using molecular technology to characterise the biology of Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi, causing bleeding canker of horse chestnut
• Development of real-time PCR assays for the rapid diagnosis of important tree pathogens.
• Impacts of climate change on tree health and the distribution and behaviour of tree pathogens, including Armillaria spp.
• Pathology of birch in Scotland (Dieback of birch)
• Tree disease diagnosis for amenity and forestry trees
• Advice on management of tree health problems.

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Main recent publications

Mulholland, V., MacAskill, G.A., Laue, B.E., Steele, H., Kenyon, D. and Green, S. (2011). Development and verification of a diagnostic assay based on EF1-alpha for the identification of Armillaria species in Northern Europe. Forest Pathology (In press).

Green, S., Laue, B.E., Steele, H., Sharp, P.M. (2011). Using genomics to gain insights into the evolution and biology of Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi on European horse chestnut. Proceedings of the conference of IUFRO working party 7.02.02, Montesclaros, Spain, 22-27th May 2011. (In Press).

Steele, H., Laue, B.E., MacAskill, G.A., Hendry, S.J. & Green, S. (2010). Analysis of the natural infection of European horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) by Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi. Plant Pathology 59 (6), 1005-1013.

Green, S., Studholme, D.J., Laue, B.E., Dorati, F., Lovell, H., Arnold, D., Cottrell, J.E., Bridgett, S., Blaxter, M., Huitema, E., Thwaites, R., Sharp, P.M., Jackson, R.W. and Kamoun, S. (2010). Comparative genome analysis provides insights into the evolution and adaptation of Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi on European horse chestnut. PLoS ONE 5(4): e10224. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010224

Reignoux, S.N.A., Aitken, E.A.E., Green, S., Ennos, R.A. (2009). Two new species of Lophodermium colonise Scots pine needles in Scotland. Proceedings of the conference of IUFRO working party 7.02.02, Eğirdir, Turkey, 11-16 May 2009, 15-23.

De Silva, H., Castlebury, L.A., Green, S. and Stone, J.K. (2009). Characterisation and phylogenetic relationships of Anisogramma virgultorum and A. anomala in the Diaporthales (Ascomycota). Mycological Research 113: 73-81.

Green, S., Laue, B., Fossdal, C.G., A’Hara, S. and Cottrell, J. (2009). Infection of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) by Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi and its detection by quantitative real-time PCR. Plant Pathology 58, 731-744

Green, S. and Ray, D. (2009). Climate change: risks to forestry in Scotland due to drought and fungal disease. Forestry Commission Research Note 8. Edinburgh, Scotland.

De Silva, H, Green, S., Woodward, S. (2008). Incidence and biology of Anisogramma virgultorum on birch in Scotland. Scottish Forestry 62 (4), 22-28.

DeSilva, H., Green, S. and Woodward, S. (2008). Incidence and severity of dieback in birch plantings associated with Anisogramma virgultorum and Marssonina betulae in Scotland. Plant Pathology 57 (2): 272-279.

Green, S., Hendry, S.J. and Redfern, D.B. (2008). Drought damage to pole-stage Sitka spruce and other species in north east Scotland. Scottish Forestry 62 (3): 10-18.

Green, S. and Castlebury, L. A. (2007). Connection of Gnomonia intermedia to Discula betulina and its relationship to other taxa in the Gnomoniaceae. Mycological Research 111:62-69.

Green, S. and MacAskill, G. A. (2007). Pathogenicity of Marssonina betulae and other fungi on birch. Plant Pathology 56, 242-250. 

Green, S. (2005). First report of Septoria betulae causing leaf spot of birch in the United Kingdom. Plant pathology 54 (4): 580.

Brown, A., Green, S. and Hendry, S. (2005). Needle diseases of pine. Forestry Commission Information Note 67. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Green, S. (2005). Birch die-back in Scotland ^(PDF-721K). Forestry Commission Information Note 72. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Green, S. (2004). Fungi associated with shoots of silver birch (Betula pendula) in Scotland. Mycological Research 108 (11): 1327-1336.

Green, S., Peng, G., Connolly, T. and Boyetchko, S. M. (2004). Effect of moisture and temperature on disease of green foxtail caused by Drechslera gigantea and Pyricularia setariae. Plant Disease 88 (6): 605-612.

Green, S. (2003). A review of the potential for the use of bioherbicides to control forest weeds in the UK. Forestry 76 (3): 285-298.