Biography

Scotland’s Plant Health Centre (planthealthcentre.scot) is a multi-organisation virtual Centre of Expertise led by the James Hutton Institute and funded by the Scottish Government through RESAS (Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division). Working with the Chief Plant Health Officer for Scotland, Professor Gerry Saddler from SASA, the Centre brings the plant sectors for forestry, horticulture, environment and agriculture together to co-ordinate plant health knowledge, skills, needs and activities across Scotland. As part of his Director’s role, Ian sits on the four UK nations Evidence Co-ordination Group for plant health.

We are proposing to establish and manage a National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC) that will employ a whole-sector approach to deliver solutions to the potato industry. NPIC will comprise a state-of-the art-innovation centre based in Dundee that will work with national and international partners to create new solutions for the industry as well as innovative products and high-skilled jobs.

Ian is a Visiting Professor at the University of Glasgow and until recently was an Honorary Professor at the Forestry and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He has an active research team whose focus is on the Epidemiology, aetiology and control of blackleg disease caused by Pectobacterium and Dickeya species. More recently, following a Scottish Government working group (which he led), he is part of a £2.3 million project on sustainable management of potato cyst nematodes (PCN).  He has over 100 refereed papers and book chapters and an H-index (Google Scholar) of 50, and in 2021 co-edited the first book dedicated to the soft rot Pectobacteriaceae (SRP) entitled ‘Plant Diseases Caused by Dickeya and Pectobacterium Species’ (ISBN – 978-3-030-61458-4) and written by the global SRP community.

He has strong links with other academic and industry representatives worldwide and is currently the President of the European Association for Potato Research (EAPR), and will hold the 23rd EAPR Triennial Conference in Edinburgh in June 2027. He is also the chair of the organising committee for the International Erwinia Workshop (last held in Italy in 2022) and a member of the International Potato Partnership (IPP). His industry links have led to him receiving the British Potato Industry Award for lifetime contribution to the potato industry (2020).

Research

Pectobacterium and Dickeya: The soft rot pathogens Pectobacterium and Dickeya spp. cause disease on many crops and ornamentals worldwide, including blackleg diseases of potatoes in the field and soft rots of tubers in storage. It is important to reduce or prevent the incidences of such diseases, which is important in Scotland due to the high health status of its potato seed industry.

RESAS-funded projects are investigating the development of PCR-based fingerprinting methods to differentiate strains, enhancing our ability to track pathogens between crops, field generations and through the environment. We are also investigating optimal field conditions to reduce blackleg disease and testing novel control options in the field. Innovate UK funding, in projects led by APSBiocontrol, have investigated the use of bacteriophages in blackleg control, while a multi-partner funded project (DeS BL), as part of the BBSRC-led Bacterial Plant Diseases Programme, is investigating the epidemiology, aetiology and control of blackleg disease on several fronts.   

Potato cyst nematodes (PCN): Following a national working group to identify a clear strategy for dealing with the PCN in Scotland, and the submission of a report to the Plant Health Centre highlighting actions that needed to be taken, a £2.3 million project was funded by Scottish Government to address those actions and deliver sustainable management options for PCN.  The project includes an economic impact assessment, the development of a decisions support tool, new resistance markers, dihaploids breeding approaches, improved methods for tolerance, groundkeeper control, IPM approaches and a national-wide knowledge exchange programme under the banner ‘PCN Action Scotland’. For more information visit pcnhub.ac.uk.

Publications

The following Publications have not yet been migrated to the James Hutton Institute's Pure service and relate to the research outputs from the two legacy organisations: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and The Scottish Crop Research Institute.

Journals

Books / chapters

  • Lin, K.; Husmeier, D.; Dondelinger, F.; Mayer, C.D.; Liu, H.; Pritchard, L.; Salmond, G.P.C.; Toth, I.K.; Birch, P.R.J. (2010) Reverse engineering gene regulatory networks related to quorum sensing in the plant pathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum., In: Fenyo, D. (ed.). Computational Biology. Springer, New York, Chapter 17, pp253-281.
  • Toth, I.K.; Pritchard, L.; Birch, P.R.J.; Liu, H. (2008) Genomics of the enterobacterial plant pathogens., In: Jackson, R.W. (ed.). Plant Pathogenic Bacteria: Genomics and Molecular Biology. Caister Academic Press, Norfolk, 163-174.
  • Preston, G.M.; Guttman, D.S.; Toth, I.K. (2007) Genomic analysis of plant pathogenic bacteria., In: Pallen, M., Nelson, K. & Preston, G. (eds.). Bacterial Pathogenomics. ASM Press, Washington, D.C., pp392-418.
  • Toth, I.K.; Moleleki, L.N.; Pritchard, L.; Liu, H.; Humphris, S.N.; Hyman, L.; Axelsen, G.W.; Brurberg, M.B.; Ravensdale, M.; Gilroy, E.M.; Birch, P.R.J. (2006) Erwiniae: genomics and the secret life of a plant pathogen., In: Bailey, M.J., Lilley, A.K., Timms-Wilson, T.M. & Spencer-Phillips, P.T.N. (eds.). Microbial Ecology of Aerial Plant Surfaces. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, pp191-201.
  • Bertheau, Y.; Frechon, D.; Toth, I.K.; Hyman, L.J. (1998) E.c. subsp. atroseptica DNA amplification by PCR., In: Perombelon, M.C.M. & van der Wolf, J. M. (eds.). Methods for the Detection and Quantification of Erwinia carotovora subsp. Atroseptica on Potatoes Suitable for Commercial Use: a Laboratory Manual, pp39-59.
  • Hyman, L.J.; Toth, I.K.; Perombelon, M.C.M. (1998) Isolation and identification of E.c. subsp. atroseptica., In: Perombelon, M.C.M. & van der Wolf, J. M. (eds.). Methods for the Detection and Quantification of Erwinia carotovora subsp. Atroseptica on Potatoes Suitable for Commercial Use: a Laboratory Manual, pp60-71.

Technical / contract reports

  • Torrance, L.; Toth, I.K.; Cooke, D.E.L.; Fenton, B.; Blok, V.C.; Lees, A.K. (2010) Risks of new or emerging pests and pathogens posed by environmental change., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2009, pp14-17.
  • Toth, I.K. (2009) Sustainability-plant disease control., KnowledgeScotland, Science Connections Online, Sustainability and Communities; Climate Water and Energy, No 93.
  • Toth, I.K.; Pritchard, L.; Holeva, M.C.; Hyman, L.J.; Bell, K.S.; Whisson, S.C.; Avrova, A.O.; Birch, P.R.J. (2004) New discoveries with Erwinia genomics., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2002/2003, p101.
  • Toth, I.K. (2002) Better understanding of Erwinia for detection and reduced spread., British Potato Council Technical Bulletin, Oxford,
  • Toth, I.K.; Bell, K.S.; Holeva, M.C.; Bryan, G.J.; Avrova, A.O.; Hyman, L.; Birch, P.R.J. (2002) Erwinia genomics: A new era in the battle against potato disease., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2001/2002, pp25-28.
  • Torrance, L.; Ziegler, A.; Mayo, M.A.; Toth, I.K.; Blok, V.C.; Duncan, J.M. (2000) New technologies for the detection and identification of pathogens, pests and environmental pollutants.., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 1999/2000, pp51-54.
  • Toth, I.K. (2000) Blackleg and soft rot – prevention by prediction., Interim Report to the British Potato Council.
  • Toth, I.K.; Hyman, L.J. (1997) Typing strains of Erwinia carotovora subspecies atroseptica for epidemiological analyses., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 1996/97, pp154-156.

Conference papers

  • Toth, I.K. (2011) “Limiting the impacts of pests and pathogens” Scotland-Punjab collaborations: exploring possibilities for research collaborations and staff and student exchanges in biotechnology, crop science and the environment., India-UK Scientific Seminar Scheme, The Royal Society (London) and Department of Science and Technology (India), August 2011.
  • Humphris, S.; Campbell, E.; Pritchard, L.; Elphinstone, J.; Parkinson, N.; Saddler, G.; Toth, I.K. (2011) Dickeya solani in the environment., Euphresco Meeting on Dickeya, 7 November 2011.
  • Pritchard, L.; Toth, I.K. (2011) How to sequence a bacterial genome., Euphresco Meeting on Dickeya, 7 November 2011.
  • Toth, I.K. (2011) Omics technologies and their applications in crop agriculture., CAMERAS Meeting, SASA, January 2011.
  • Toth, I.K. (2011) “The Dickeya threat”., Potato Council Winter Meeting, Sutton Bridge, February 2011.
  • Toth, I.K.; Pritchard, L. (2011) Genomics leads to new discoveries and practical solutions to blackleg disease control., European Association for Potato Research (EAPR) Conference, Oulu, Finland, 24-29 July 2011.
  • Toth, I.K.; Pritchard, L. (2011) Whole genome microarrays: quorum sensing and species-specific genomic islands in Pectobacterium atrosepticum., Southern African Society for Plant Pathology, Kruger National Park, South Africa, 23-26 January 2011.
  • Newton, A.C.; Toth, I.K.; Holden, N. (2011) Implications of climate change for pathogen defence in plants., Society for General Microbiology Spring Conference, Harrogate, 11-14 April 2011. HA09 Food Bio Security Session. (Abstract).
  • Toth, I.K.; Liu, H.; Coulthurst, S.J.; Humphris, S.; Douglas, E.; Hedley, P.E.; Booth, C.; Ravensdale, M.; Burr, T.; Takle, G.; Bruberg, M.; Birch, P.R.J.; Salmond, G.P.C.; Francois, P.; Schrenzel, J.; Pritchard, L. (2010) Whole genome microarrays to investigate the potato pathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum species-specific genomic islands and quorum sensing., International Conference on Plant Pathogenic Bacteria (ICPPB). Reunion, 7-11 June 2010.
  • Toth, I.K.; Humphris, S.; Douglas, E.; Pritchard, L.; Birch, P.R.J.; Takle, G.; Brurberg, M.B.; (2010) Genomics uncovers a life on plants away from disease for the potato pathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum., International Erwinia Workshop, Reunion, 5-6 June 2010.
  • Toth, I.K.; Birch, P.R.J.; Pritchard, L.; Liu, H.; Hedley, P.E.; Humphris, S.; Douglas, E.; Gilroy, E.M.; Moleleki, L.N.; Ravensdale, M.; Hardy, D.; Mayer, C.; Husmeier, D.; Lin, K. (2010) From bully to master tactician: a genomics approach reveals unexpected traits in the life of the bacterial plant pathogen Pectobacterium., IFR Seminar Series. Institute of Food Research, 4 March 2010.
  • Perez-Mendoza, D.; Coulthurst, S.J.; Humphris, S.; Toth, I.K.; Salmond, G.P.C.; (2010) c-di-GMP regulates a new Type 1 secretion system involved in Pectobacterium atrosepticum binding to the plant., ESF Research Conference on Bacterial Networks, Feliu de Guixois, Spain, 4-9 September 2010.
  • Wang, D.P.; Cleugh, S.J.; Zhao, Y.F.; Korban, S.S.; Sundin, G.W.; Toth, I.K. (2010) Regulatory genes and environmental regulation of amylovoran biosynthesis in Erwinia amylovora., 12th International Workshop on Fire Blight, Warsaw, Poland, 16-20 August 2010, 896, pp195-202.
  • McNally, R.R.; Sundin, G.W.; Zhao, Y.F.; Toth, I.K.; Cock, P.J.A.; Hedley, P.E. (2010) Microarray characterisation of the HrpL regulon of the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora., 12th International Workshop on Fire Blight, Warsaw, Poland, 16-20 August 2010.
  • Toth, I.K.; Birch, P.R.J.; Pritchard, L.; Humphris, S.N.; Douglas, E.; Gilroy, E.M.; Morris, J.; Hedley, P.E. (2010) Using genomics approaches to investigate the life of the bacterial potato pathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum., COST 872 Nemagenics. Exploiting genomics to understand plant-nematode interactions, 4th Annual Meeting. Lisbon, Portugal, 24-27 May 2010.
  • Toth, I.K.; (2010) Outputs from RERAD funded potato pathology work 2006-2010., Proceedings Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2010, Dundee, 23-24 February 2010, 241-244 (Talk).
  • Toth, I.K.; Pritchard, L.; Birch, P.R.J.; Humphris, S.N.; Douglas, E.; Liu, H.; Morris, J.A.; Hedley, P.E. (2009) The humble bacterium: what would Darwin have made of this master of evolution?., BSPP Presidential Meeting: Darwin to Disease: Crops and Their Pathogens, Oxford, 22 September 2009.
  • Toth, I.K.; Humphris, S.; Douglas, E.; Liu, H.; Takle, G.W.; Pritchard, L.; Birch, P (2008) Genomics technologies: helping to answer important questions in our fight against the enterobacterial plant pathogens., COST Action 864 Workshop on Host Pathogens in Pome Fruits, Izmir, Turkey, 14-15 May 2008.
  • Toth, I.K.; Torrance, L.; Fenton, B.; Lees, A.K. (2008) Impact of climate change on pests and diseases of potatoes in Scotland: risks and recommendations., Proceedings Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2008, Dundee, 26-27 February 2008, pp187-192.
  • Toth, I.K.; Birch, P.R.J.; Pritchard, L.; Moleleki, L.N.; Ravensdale, M.; Robert, C.; Liu, H.; Humphris, S.N.; Hedley, P.E.; Gilroy, E.M. (2008) What will a genome sequence do for fire blight research? Pectobacterium atrosepticum and potato – a case study., 11th International Workshop on Fire Blight, Portland, Oregon, 12-17 August 2007.
  • Whisson, S.C.; Boevink, P.; Moleleki, L.N.; Avrova, A.O.; Morales, J.G.; Gilroy, E.M.; Armstrong, M.R.; Toth, I.K.; Pritchard, L.; Birch, P.R.J. (2007) A translocation signal for delivery of oomycete effector proteins into host plant cells., XIII International Congress on Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Sorrento, Italy, 22-26 July 2007.
  • Coulthurst, S.J.; Barnard, T.; Birch, P.R.J.; Bowden, S.; Corbett, M.; Lilley, K.; Liu, H.; Monson, R.; Pemberton, C.; Toth, I.K.; Salmond, G.P.C. (2006) Quorum sensing control of Type III system secreted virulence factors and production of the b-lactam antibiotic, 1-carbapen-2-em-3-carboxylic acid, in Erwinia carotovora: identification of a LuxR-type virulence-specific regulator., Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Merida, Mexico, 14-19 December 2006.
  • Toth, I.K.; Hyman, L.J.; Moleleki, L.N.; Ravensdale, M.; Robert, C.; Liu, H.; Humphris, S.N.; Hedley, P.E.; Gilroy, E.M.; Pritchard, L.; Birch, P.R.J. (2006) What has genomics ever done for us? A study of Erwinia and blackleg disease., Proceedings of Crop Protection in Northern Britain, Dundee, 28 February – 1 March 2006, 239-242.
  • Moleleki, L.N.; Birch, P.R.J.; Toth, I.K. (2006) Erwinia overcomes potato resistance by attacking its defences., Proceedings of Crop Protection in Northern Britain, Dundee, 28 February – 1 March 2006, pp325-330.
  • Liu, H.; Humphris, S.N.; Hedley, P.E.; Pritchard, L.; Hyman, L.; Morris, J.; Birch, P.R.J.; Toth, I.K. (2006) The identification of novel Erwinia genes involved in disease., Proceedings of Crop Protection in Northern Britain, Dundee, 28 February – 1 March 2006, 331-334.
  • Birch, P.R.J.; Pritchard, L.; Toth, I.K. (2005) The impact of the genomics era on our development of disease control strategies., BCPC Crop Science and Technology, Glasgow, 31 October – 2 November 2005.
  • Foulds, I.; Jauo, J.; Toth, I.K.; Salmond, G. (2004) Bacteriophages of the enterobacterial phytopathogen, Erwinia: host range, surface receptors, and abortive infection., 10th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology, Cancun, Mexico, 22-27 August 2004.
  • Birch, P.R.J.; Blok, V.C.; Phillips, M.; Jones, J.T.; Stewart, H.E.; Duncan, J.M.; Bryan, G.J.; Waugh, R.; Lyon, G.D.; MacFarlane, S.A.; Avrova, A.O.; Whisson, S.C.; Toth, I.K. (2003) Current and future research at SCRI on the molecular genetics of the interactions between potato and its major pathogens., Acta Horticulturae, 619, 95-119.
  • Cullen, D.W.; Lees, A.K.; Pitkin, Y.; Boonham, N.; Walsh, K.; Barker, I.; Toth, I.K. (2002) Detection and quantification of storage rot pathogens in potato stocks and soil., Proceedings of the 15th Triennial Conference of the European Association for Potato Research, Hamburg, July 2002.
  • Newton, A.C.; Toth, I.K.; Neave, P.; Hyman, L.J. (2002) Bacterial pathogens from a previous crop affect fungal leaf blight development on subsequent non-host crops., Proceedings of the Second International Barley Leaf Blight Workshop, ICARDA, Aleppo, 7-11 April 2002.

Conference posters / abstracts

  • Cubitt, M.; Toth, I.K.; Salmond, G. (2011) Metabolic regulator linked to virulence in Pectobacterium., The Unlimited World of Microbes (IUMS) 2011 Conference, Sapporo, Japan, 6-10 September 2011.
  • Tan, H.; Toth, I.K.; Salmond, G. (2011) Characterisation of two putative c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases in Eca1043., The Unlimited World of Microbes (IUMS) 2011 Conference, Sapporo, Japan, 6-10 September 2011.
  • Cubitt, M.; Toth, I.K.; Salmond, G. (2011) Metabolic regulator linked to virulence in Pectobacterium atrosepticum., Society for General Microbiology, (SGM) Spring Conference 2011, Harrogate International Centre, Harrogate, 11-14 April 2011. Poster.
  • Holden, N.; Toth, I.K.; Walters, D.; Newton, A.C. (2011) Plant defence elicitors as a means to control opportunistic plant pathogenic bacteria., Annual BSPP Meeting, Cambridge, 15-17 December 2011. (Poster)
  • Cubitt, M.; Toth, I.K.; Salmond, G. (2011) Metabolic regulator linked to virulence in Pectobacterium atrosepticum through bypass of the Rsm system., Society for General Microbiology Spring Conference, Harrogate, 11-14 April 2011.
  • Tan, H.; Toth, I.K.; Salmond, G. (2011) Characterisation of two putative c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases in Eca 1043., Society for General Microbiology Spring Conference, Harrogate, 11-14 April 2011. (Poster)
  • Cullen, D.W.; Harwood, W.A.; Smedley, M.; Davies, H.V.; Taylor, M.A. (2008) Development of a standard, validated procedure for the isolation of transgene flanking regions in GM crops and detailed analysis of transgene insertion., 1st Global Conference on GMO Analysis, Como, Italy, 24-27 June 2008 (Poster).
  • Newton, A.C.; Hyman, L.J.; Toth, I.K. (2004) Bacterial inoculum from a previous crop affects fungal disease development on a subsequent non-host crop., 11th International Cereal Rusts and Powdery Mildews Conference, John Innes Centre, Norwich, 22-27 August 2004 (Abstract).
  • Cullen, D.W.; Lees, A.K.; Toth, I.K.; Bell, K.S.; Duncan, J.M. (2000) Detection and quantification of fungal and bacterial potato pathogens in plants and soil (Abstract)., EPPO Conference on Diagnostic Techniques for Plant Pests, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 1-4 February 2000, 46 (Abstract).
  • Avrova, A.O.; Hyman, L.J.; Toth, R.L.; Toth, I.K. (2000) Identification and differentiation of Erwinia carotovora subspecies using 16S-23S ribosomal spacer PCR-RFLP and AFLP., Presidential Meeting, Plant Pathogen Interactions, Wye College, 18-20 December 2000, 21.
  • Dellagi, A.; Toth, I.K.; Heilbronn, J.; Lyon, G.D.; Birch, P.R.J. (1999) Novel approaches for the isolation of differentially expressed genes from Erwinia carotovora., Proceedings of the 9th International Congress of Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Amsterdam, 25-30 July 1999, 179 (Abstract).
  • Dellagi, A.; Avrova, A.O.; Heilbronn, J.; Montesano, M.; Toth, I.K.; Lyon, G.D.; Birch, P.R.J. (1999) Isolation and characterisation of signalling genes induced by Erwinia carotovora in potato., Proceedings of the 9th International Congress of Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Amsterdam, 25-30 July 1999, 97 (Abstract).
  • Cullen, D.W.; Lees, A.K.; Toth, I.K.; Duncan, J.M. (1999) Specific detection of the three main pathogens of potato blemish diseases by PCR., Abstracts of the 143rd Ordinary Society for General Microbiology Meeting, Edinburgh, 13-16 April 1999, 57.
  • Toth, I.K.; Hyman, L.J.; Toth, R.L. (1998) A study of diversity in Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica., Proceedings of the 7th International Conference of Plant Pathology, Edinburgh, 9-16 August 1998, No. 3.3.62.
  • Hyman, L.J.; Birch, P.R.J.; Toth, I.K. (1998) Improved PCR detection of Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica for commercial use., Proceedings 7th International Conference of Plant Pathology, Edinburgh, 9-16 August 1998, No. 3.3.56.
  • Birch, P.R.J.; Hyman, L.J.; Wood, J.R.; Toth, I.K. (1998) Design and utilization of a potato soft rot Erwinia-specific PCR-based detection system., Proceedings 7th International Conference of Plant Pathology, Edinburgh, 9-16 August, 1998, No. 3.3.65.

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