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Viruses infect plants in agricultural fields, marginal habitats, prairies, on mountain peaks...and everywhere else we look! Not all virus infections are detectable, though, and it's hard to confirm the identity of a virus when you suspect it's there! Fortunately, we've done the leg work to develop a diagnostic tool for monitoring a common virus (Turnip mosaic virus) in a widespread host (Hesperis matronalis) (see Lombardi et al. 2022), and now we are looking for participants to join a community of plant-virus hunters! Join us!
Togther, we will build a dispersed network of professional and non-professional botanical enthusiasts (that's you) to monitor virus infections in a focal plant species, Hesperis matronalis. This project is led by Dr. Elizabeth (Lizzie) M. Lombardi (University of Minnesota Duluth), and encourages participation from anyone with interest and a keen eye.
If you would like to participate in the project in any capacity, big or small, please fill out the Google Form (or click on the button at the top of the page).
Events:
Get excited (and trained) for the BioBlitz in Spring 2026
Mission: Spot some viruses
Mission: Spot some viruses
Community Participants will:
Take photos of Dame's Rocket with/without TuMV, tag them with geolocation data and contribute to the community-curated database
Analyze data and produce actionable conservation insights
Engage communities in protecting local plant communities
1. Fill out the Google Form
1. Fill out the Google Form
This is how you sign up to participate. You will also have the opportunity to choose the level of participation, from receiving updates to coauthoring peer-reviewed papers
3. BioBlitz!
3. BioBlitz!
Survey local host populations for evidence of TuMV infection. Upload presence or absence data to the shared database.
2. Community Meeting
2. Community Meeting
Interested participants will meet virtually to discuss the science and process of the project, review data, generate results and report findings. Optional, but we hope to see you in Spring 2026!
4. Monitor
4. Monitor
Keep adding data all season! All data are helpful, so keep checking host populations for TuMV all spring/summer long
Questions?
Questions?
Email Lizzie!
elombard at d.umn.edu
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