Jaime Willbur

Jaime Willbur, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University (MSU), with a focus on integrated disease management in potato and sugar beet production. Their research combines pathogen biology, ecology, and disease epidemiology to develop predictive models and remote sensing tools for effective disease management. Willbur holds a B.S. in Chemical Biology from Lawrence Technological University and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Education:

• B.S. Chemical Biology, Lawrence Technological University
• Ph.D. Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Research Interests:

• Integrated pest management strategies for potato and sugar beet
• Predictive modeling of disease dynamics
• Remote sensing technologies for crop disease monitoring
• Quantitative resistance in plant germplasm

Recent Contributions:

• Developed weather-based models to predict Sclerotinia sclerotiorum apothecial presence in soybean fields
• Evaluated soybean germplasm lines with quantitative resistance to fungal pathogens
• Received the MSU Outstanding Supervisor Award in 2024

Labs & Affiliations: Willbur is affiliated with the Plant Biology Laboratory at 612 Wilson Road, East Lansing, and the Saginaw Valley Research and Extension Center in Frankenmuth, MI.