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Dr Afsheen Shamshad

Research interests

I have vast interest in integrated pest and disease management. I am currently working on pest and disease management in cultivated mushrooms, Agaricus bisporus. I am also interested in evaluating new environment friendly pest and disease control measures.

I have investigated vector pathogenic interactions between mushroom flies and fungal diseases especially Verticillium fungicola and Trichoderma spp and host parasitic interactions between mushrooms and fungal diseases. To pursue these interests my research involved scanning and transmission electron microscopy.

I have a number of current projects researching efficacy of fungicides and pesticides against mushroom pests and diseases and managing vector transmitted diseases in cultivated mushrooms.

Background

I have postgraduate degree in Entomology from the University of Karachi, Pakistan and a PhD in Entomology/plant pathology from the University of Sydney. I have been working at the Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Unit at the University of Sydney for the last six years in the areas of pest and disease management in cultivated mushrooms. I currently co-supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in research in mushrooms.

Recent publications

  • Shamshad, A., Clift, A. D. and Mansfield, S. (2009). Host - parasitic interaction between cultivated mushroom, Agaricus bisporus hybrid strain Sylvan A15 and mycoparasite Verticillium fungicola, a causal agent of dry bubble disease. Australasian Plant Pathology, 38, 74-78.
  • Shamshad, A., Clift, A. D. and Mansfield, S. (2009). Tibia morphology affects vector competency in mushroom sciarid flies. Journal of Applied Entomology, accepted on 29th October 2008. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0418.2008.01362.x
  • Shamshad, A., Clift, A. D. and Mansfield, S. (2008). Toxicity of six commercially formulated insecticides against third instar larvae of mushroom sciarid, Lycoriella ingenua, Dufour (Diptera: Sciaridae) in New South Wales, Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology, 47 (3): 256-260.
  • Shamshad, A., Clift, A. and Butler, R. (2008). Studies on Dry Bubble Disease Caused by Verticillium fungicola. The proceedings of XVII ISMS International convention, Cape Town, South Africa, 21-24 May 2008.
  • Shamshad, A. (2008). Managing vector transmitted fungal diseases of cultivated mushrooms. AMGA journal, Winter 2008. pp. 27-28.
  • Shamshad, A., Clift, A. D. and Mansfield, S. (In Press). Effect of compost and casing treatments of insecticides against the sciarid Bradysia ocellaris Comstock (Diptera: Sciaridae) and on the total yield of cultivated mushrooms, Agaricus bisporus Imbach: Pest Management Science, accepted on 07th October 2008.
  • Shamshad, A., Clift, A. D. and Mansfield, S. (In Press). Effect of different manganese prochloraz, carbendazim and Imazalil treatments on the yield of commonly grown Agaricus bisporus, hybrid strain Sylvan A15 in NSW, Australia. Plant Protection Quarterly, accepted on 29th September 2008.
  • Clift, A. and Shamshad, A. (2008). Flies and Dust - Epidemiology of Dry Bubble in Australia. The proceedings of XVII ISMS International convention, Cape Town, South Africa, 21-24 May 2008.
  • Clift, A., D. and Shamshad, A. (2007) Two Bayesian approaches to modeling fungal diseases of mushrooms. The Proceedings of International Congress on Modelling and Simulation. University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
  • Clift, A., Shamshad A., and Terras, M. A. (2003). Flies and Dry Bubble (Verticillium) in cultivated mushrooms in Eastern Australia, The proceedings of XVI International Congress of Cultivated Mushrooms, Miami, USA.

Contact

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