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David Cooke

@llewelyn68.bsky.social
202 followers 230 following 180 posts

Plant pathologist (all things oomycete - especially potato late blight); eDNA enthusiast; climber; runner; cyclist; views/opinions my own

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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
UK #potato harvest time again. My 2025 photo of Meikelour Farms team at work in a crop of Elland with resistance to PCN G. pallida. Working on potato #lateblight #fightagainstblight reporting now for autumn presentations.
Potato harvesting - front profile of tractor and trailer and self propelled harvester approaching crest of hill and unloading tubers into boxes
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Reposted by David Cooke
Steven Sheil @scsheil.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
This is my wife's new documentary film, about the fight to discover the truth behind the marine life die-offs in Teesside - would appreciate a repost so that we can make sure the film gets seen.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Well done Vanessa Charles on completing her 682 mile cycle from Inverness to Norfolk in support of two excellent hospices that supported her husband's and mother's final phase in life. With more pressure than ever on hospice places this is an great cause. gvwhl.com/UOCCG
gvwhl.com
Ness to Norfolk Cycle Challenge 2026
I'm fundraising for two hospices in memory of two wonderful people -  my husband Martin, who died from brain cancer in 2024, and my mum, Marianne, who als…
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Potatoes in Practice 2026. Excellent seminar series. First up Kerry Leslie SAC Consulting and James Price @hutton.ac.uk illuminating us on benefits from Scottish Government project on PCN management.
Kerry Leslie SAC Consulting speaking at PIP eventJames Price from James Hutton Institute speaking on PCN Action success
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Views north from Beinn Chabhair yesterday. A cracking day. Followed hydro track up between this and An Caisteal as a means of avoiding the bog.
Mountain views. Blue skies!
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Reposted by David Cooke
Graeme Beale @midfyffe.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Scottish Government is #hiring #social #researchers. B2 is our entry level grade, for masters or PhD with an interest in applied social research. 2x 4yr posts initially, but with a reserve list. Apply by 20/08/2026 Pls share to folks! fa-evxn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
fa-evxn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com
Social Researcher
Want to help shape Scotland’s Census, informing the decisions that improve public services and capture the story of Scotland for generations to come?
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Avocado #Phytophthora that spreads as triploid clones. Prompts questions on advantages of increased ploidy Hoyt BK et al (2026) Phylogenomic analysis of P. cinnamomi from avocado in the US reveals links to the two A2 panglobal clonal lineages. Front. Plant Sci. 17:1870818. doi.org/10.3389/fpls...
doi.org
Frontiers | Phylogenomic analysis of Phytophthora cinnamomi collected from avocado in the United States reveals links to the two A2 panglobal clonal lineages
Phytophthora cinnamomi, the causal agent of phytophthora root rot (PRR), is one of the most destructive pathogens affecting avocados worldwide. Recent global...
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Welcome cloud cover for the #CUPGRA members day tour of potato trials at @niab-uk.bsky.social site near Cambridge. I will give an update on Fight against blight later today.
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Reposted by David Cooke
Marília Horta Jung 🇵🇹🇪🇺🇨🇿🇺🇦 @phytophthorarc.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
#PolicyBrief “Successful Ecosystem Restoration through Biosecure Nursery Production” @biodiversa.eu @epponews.bsky.social @efsa-plants.bsky.social @iufro.bsky.social @ipsn-bgci.bsky.social #PlantPathogens #PlantBiosecurity #Oomycetes #NatureRestoration #Forestry #Horticulture #PlantNurseries
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Status of #Phytophthora infestans populations in Europe updated. Helping late blight IPM on potato crops. Sunshine may be a good fungicide but I imagine many thirsty crops about. @hutton.ac.uk EuroBlight final data release, 2025 share.google/PhwBZllqrWdE...
share.google
EuroBlight final data release, 2025
EuroBlight announce the final results of 2025 monitoring – despite the low blight pressure 2025 season over 1700 samples from 27 countries across Europe were genotyped.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Angus wheat, beans, barley and potato crops looking good in July. Near Kirriemuir.
Meams farm Angus, Scotland with bean, barley and potato crops in foreground. July 2026
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Thanks to @swog1.bsky.social for recommendation. Visited @rspb.bsky.social Loch of Kinnordy last w/e. From first hide saw the osprey hunting and a sedge warbler.. well... warbling. Cracking heathland ridge walk to north too.
sedge warbler in full songosprey hunting in reedsosprey hunting overview of Loch of Kinnordy nature reserve from Culhawk Hill nearby
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Today the world of #Phytophthora and #lateblight #potato science wishes Dr Didier Andrivon from #INRAE 'bon voyage' in his retirement from the lab. His contributions to the field & #euroblight have been significant leaving a hole tough to fill. Thank you Didier. agro.au.dk/forskning/in...
agro.au.dk
Didier Andrivon is retiring and wish you all the best
Regarded as one of the leading "dinosaurs" and foremost experts on Phytophthora infestans, his 30-year academic career has profoundly advanced our understanding of the pathogen's epidemiology, evoluti...
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Wikipedia is 25! If you use it all the time and want to protect a future where knowledge is human-made, join me and donate now: donate.wikipedia25.org #Wikipedia25 Virtue signalling - but don't care! Please donate & contribute via editing. I just updated the page on Phytophthora infestans.
donate.wikipedia25.org
Make your donation now - Wikimedia Foundation
Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that hosts Wikipedia and other crucial free knowledge projects. Each year, the generosity of the 2% of readers who donate allows us to expand the reac...
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Truly scary that Emerald Ash Borer has moved to eastern Hungary from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Major threat to ash that's already suffering from fungal Ash Dieback. We all need to be vigilant and remember 'Don't risk it!' when crossing borders this holiday season. gd.eppo.int/reporting/ar...
image of Emerald ash borer by Alexander Petrov - courtesy of EPPO site. Imagery showing a suitcase with pests and pathogens emerging from the  public campaign to prevent carriage of threats across borders
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Used every photon on that longest day. After viewless Sgurr nan coireachan the ridge over Sgurr mor and Gairich got better and better. 20:30 summit vid. A lot of up and down on ridge walk ended with tired bog floundering. Happy for company of snipe dunlin and golden plover!
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Anyone fancy a new challenge? @bspp.bsky.social Molecular Plant Pathology is inviting applications for the role of Editor-in-Chief bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal...
bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Molecular Plant Pathology is inviting applications for the role of Editor-in-Chief
<em>Molecular Plant Pathology</em> is a molecular plant disease journal publishing research that advances the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of plant disease.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
21st #Euroblight workshop underway in Ourense, Spain with sessions on population change and aerobiology and spore capture. Lots more to come
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Today is International Day of Plant Health. A day to celebrate people and structures key to plant protection. Sick plants = sick people = sick planet. www.fao.org/plant-health...
fao.org
International Day of Plant Health, 12 May | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Healthy plants can help to end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Awesome aecia!
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Truly scary and we all need to be alert to it.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Presented draft SEFARI Fellowship report on use of eDNA for environmental monitoring to CAMERAS board today in Edinburgh Botanics. Valuable feedback for final report plus a bonus chance to see 'good' Rhododendrons in bloom
Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden. Rhododendron flowers and huge amounts of lichen. Clean air indicator in city.
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Reposted by David Cooke
eDNAqua-Plan Project @ednaquaplan.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
📢Major milestone for eDNAqua-Plan! Key outcomes on standards, interoperability, workflows & policy integration of a future digital ecosystem for DNA-based biodiversity data are now available. 👉 ednaquaplan.com/results/deli... #DNA #Data #Biodiversity #eDNA #Policy @horizoneu.bsky.social
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Fascinating thread on fungi & how their effectors shape not only their plant hosts but also the rest of the microbial community in the interaction. Fungi were here first and have been competing on and in plants for 100s millions of years. Wondering if oomycetes are included? Bravo
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
Was a pleasure to present to this group of forest stakeholders on Friday. A good discussion on Phytophthora risks and Plant Health Centre project. North Scotland Regional Meeting: 23rd April 2026 - Scottish Forest & Wood-based Industries – SFWI share.google/oDchzHl2KnFW...
Audience and seminar room at James Hutton Aberdeen. For woodland stakeholders talk
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
In the context of #eDNA monitoring in Scotland I am just flagging this enthusiastic group who are meeting today and again in October. Connecting researchers and stakeholders to protect Scotland's freshwater Scottish Freshwater Group | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology www.ceh.ac.uk/scottish-fre...
ceh.ac.uk
Scottish Freshwater Group
Membership of the Scottish Freshwater Group (SFG) enables connections which serve the environment and people
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
#JohnMuirDay 21 April 2026 followed @johnmuirtrust.bsky.social advice & spent 21 minutes in Kingoodie wood/quarry listening & watching nature do its stuff. At least 15 species of birds sang around me, the sunshine the insects were active & broom flowering. Not forgetting microbes & lovely lichen
Kingoodie quarry trees coming into leaf, carpet of Ivy and flowering currantPointy slab of rock covered in jigsaw of white lichenBroom flowers and Birch stems with blue sky in background
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Fascinating news feature on @jlittlefair.bsky.social @profsicreer.bsky.social & many others. Insights, opportunities & challenges of air eDNA monitoring - not just spores and pollen but tigers too. The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for
Airborne genetic material can be used to paint a picture of ecosystem health, watch for invasive species and even identify humans.
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Reposted by David Cooke
Frédéric Suffert @wheatpath.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Exciting position open @aarhusuniint.bsky.social: Professor in Epidemiology/Pathology for agricultural crop plants www.au.dk/om/stillinge...
au.dk
Professor in Epidemiology/Pathology for Agricultural Crop Plants - Ledig stilling på Aarhus Universitet
Ledig stilling ved Institut for Agroøkologi - Plantepatologi og Mikrobiologi, Aarhus Universitet
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
If you manage a plant nursery or are interested in the prevention or management of devastating #Phytophthora spread then this is the seminar for you. @forestresearchuk.bsky.social @phytophthorarc.bsky.social
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Nice article supporting @hutton.ac.uk #fightagainstblight Hutchinsons Morven Nimmo advice on dealing with new #Phytophthora infestans genotypes. Advice on effective late blight control in potatoes - Farmers Weekly share.google/jIybEa0DurI0...
share.google
Advice on effective late blight control in potatoes - Farmers Weekly
Alternating fungicides to protect chemistry is key to maintaining effective late blight control in potatoes. Resistance management is a central component
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Enjoying Wester Ross. Gairloch beach yesterday
Gairloch beach in blustery March 2026
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
The 2026 Crop Production in Northern Britain www.cpnb.org meeting in full flow Dundee. Two days of science on combination crops the potatoes. Many great presentations from @hutton.ac.uk Photo shows Chief Plant Health Officer for Scotland David Kenyon
Conference room at Apex Dundee. Crop Production in Northern Britain meeting
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Yes indeed. Just watched episode three gain and laughed even more this time around. Between that and the, also cleverly written and beautifully acted, Dinosaur it has been a treat of BBC commissioned gems.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Getting close to 19 Feb abstract deadline. Expect this to a great meeting, as ever.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Thanks to Adam Clarke @farmersweeklyuk.bsky.social for reporting @hutton.ac.uk FAB first sampling of EU43 clone of #Phytophthora infestans in UK. Fungicide-resistant late blight strain detected in UK for first time - Farmers Weekly share.google/HJanHeYV5nB8...
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Fungicide-resistant late blight strain detected in UK for first time - Farmers Weekly
The presence of a concerning potato late blight genotype has been confirmed in the UK for the first time, following its discovery in volunteer potatoes in
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
England Wales 🏉. Comes to something when your aspirations fall to just scoring some points. Come on Wales! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
Thanks to many for flagging this great study from @mfseidl.bsky.social group. Love the way they use pangenome analysis to get a grip on the messy evolution of effectors in #Peronospora effusa. Would it work with almost 3x larger #Phytophthora infestans genome? Hope so.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Snowdrops on the North Esk at Edzell plus a raging torrent that is hopefully not snow melt!
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Looks a useful approach for analysis of more than one barcode PLUS an announcement of the expanded mtDNA rps10 gene database for oomycetes. Thanks @grunwald.bsky.social and team
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Sounds an interesting exploration of #Phytophthora threats to Seagrass. Hope a good student applies and makes headway.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
Another great Reith lecture on BBC R4 made me wonder if a moral-economic match-making of @rutgerbregman.com and @kateraworth.bsky.social would work out well? I reckon it would.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Significant new paper out from the Syngenta team. Guiding blight management. #Euroblight #Phytophthora New Mechanisms of Resistance to CAA and OSBPI Fungicides in Phytophthora infestans - Torriani - Plant Pathology - Wiley Online Library bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
Crossing a gloomy Forth Bridge en route to a more cheery British Potato event in Harrogate. Looking forward to speaking at Blight seminar organised by @gbpotato.bsky.social Also catching up with friends and colleagues in industry to support UK farming and 🥔 production.
Grey view of River Forth from Forth Bridge near Edinburgh.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
Really encouraging results on management of Willow Carrot aphid on celery with Aphidius parasitoid wasps on 'banker' plants of barley that boost natural populations. Talk by Jude Bennison (ADAS, UK) at #AAB_IPPM meeting. Figure @waspwoman.bsky.social would like to hear such +ve wasp news.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Thanks for flagging this nice study by @hutton.ac.uk and other authors. Another trick up the sleeve of #Phytophthora to infect plant hosts
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 18/10/2025
Woodpecker feast in Fife today
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 18/10/2025
Indeed, thanks for flagging. Some interesting points on challenges of weather, prices and pests and how @hutton.ac.uk is helping. Not sure about the claim that PCN introduced to manage blight. Will check with my nematologist colleagues on Monday.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Ian Toth speaking at the www.planthealthcentre.scot annual conference on summary of the years activities. Thanking Gerry Sadler and welcoming David Kenyon as Chief Plant Health Officer for Scotland.
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David Cooke @llewelyn68.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
This needs more attention and traction. Endless unsustainable growth is not the answer for either people nor the planet. A focus on being 'better not bigger' should not hit profits if marketing is right.
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