ISPP Subject Matter Committee: International Committee for Plant Virus Epidemiology (ICPVE)

Chair Address, Phone/Mobile, Email	William M. Wintermantel, Ph.D. Research Leader/Location Coordinator/Research Plant Pathologist USDA-ARS Crop Improvement and Protection Research 1636 East Alisal Street Salinas, CA 93905 C: +1 (831) 331-8256 O: +1 (831) 755-2824 bill.wintermantel@usda.gov
Established	1978. First Symposium on 28-31 July, 1981, Symposia held every three years.
SMC / Working group website:	www.isppweb.org/ICPVE
Objectives/Focus issues of the SMC	The Committee focuses on all aspects related to the epidemiology of plant viruses and vectored bacterial diseases at the field and molecular level, including virus ecology and evolution, vector ecology, etiology, diagnostics and surveillance, virus-vector interactions, modeling plant virus epidemics, disease control and climate change.
About the SMC	The International Committee for Plant Virus Epidemiology (ICPVE) is a Subject matter committee of the International Society for Plant Pathology (ISPP) founded in 1978 in the United Kingdom, for worldwide development of plant pathology. ICPVE, was started as an initiative of Prof. Mike Thresh (NRI, University of Greenwich, UK) at the Third ISPP Congress held in Munich, Germany in 1978, when he was one of the UK representatives on the ISPP Council. This led to the first Plant Virus Epidemiology Symposium at Oxford, UK in 1981 with financial support from the Association of Applied Biologists and the Federation of British Plant Pathologists (now the British Society of Plant Pathology). Since formation, the ICPVE has consistently held symposia on a triennial schedule.  To date the ICPVE has conducted sixteen International Symposia on Plant Virus Epidemiology (ISPVE) in locations throughout the world rotating among the six major continents. ICPVE membership: The ICPVE membership provides representation from scientists with knowledge and experience in plant virus epidemiology from throughout the world. Recent changes in membership implemented following ISPVE Madrid 2022 include three Asian representatives with at least one each from East Asia, South Asia, and West Asia/Middle East due to the diverse geography of size of Asia. Other continents continue to have two representatives each. Current committee membership includes two representatives each from North America (both USA), Europe (UK, Spain), Africa (Nigeria, South Africa), Australasia/Oceania (both Australia), South America (Colombia, Peru), two from East Asia (both from Korea), one from South Asia (India), and one from West Asia/Middle East (Israel), and one at-large member representing vectored bacterial diseases (USA), along with the current chair from North America (USA). If organizer(s) of the most recently held symposium is/are not members, these become ad-hoc members through the next ISPVE to facilitate planning.
Coming events (next workshops/meetings)	An International Symposium on Plant Virus Epidemiology (ISPVE) is held every three years, with approximately 150-200 attendees per symposium.   Selection of the site for the 17th ISPVE: Two sites presented excellent proposals to host the 17th International Symposium of Plant Virus Epidemiology (ISPVE) during the business meeting on July 2.  Following discussions, Sydney, Australia was selected as the site for next ISPVE in 2028.  The ISPVE is expected to be held either before or after the International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP), which will occur in Gold Coast, Australia in August 2028. The website for the ISPVE Sydney 2028 is expected to be online by August 2026, two years in advance of the symposium.
Past events	1. UK, Oxford, 28 - 31 July 1981 2. Australia, Corowa, 25 - 27 August 1983 3. USA, Orlando, 6 - 8 August 1986 4. France, Montpellier, 1 - 5 September 1989 5. Italy, Valenzano (Bari), 27-31 July 1992 6. Israel, Jerusalem, 23 - 28 April 1995 7. Spain, Aguadulce (Almeria), 11 - 16 April 1999 8. Germany, Ascherleben, 12 - 17 May 2002 9. Peru, Lima (CIP), 4 - 7 April 2005 10. India, Hyderabad (ICRISAT), 15 - 19 October 2007 11. USA, Ithaca (Cornell University), 20 - 24 June 2010 12. Tanzania, Arusha (IITA), 28 January – 1 February 2013 13. Avignon, France (INRA), 6-10 June, 2016 14. Seoul, Republic of Korea, 13-17 May, 2019 15. Madrid, Spain (CSIC), 6-8 June, 2022 16. Sao Paulo, Brazil, 30 June-3 July, 2025
Committee Activities	Selection of the site for the 17th ISPVE: Two sites presented excellent proposals to host the 17th International Symposium of Plant Virus Epidemiology (ISPVE) during the business meeting on July 2.  Following discussions, Sydney, Australia was selected as the site for next ISPVE in 2028.  The ISPVE is expected to be held either before or after the International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP), which will occur in Gold Coast, Australia in August 2028. The website for the ISPVE Sydney 2028 is expected to be online by August 2026, two years in advance of the symposium.   Changes to ICPVE membership: No changes were made to the official ICPVE membership during the 2025 ISPVE in Sao Paulo, Brazil; however, because the 16th ISPVE was hosted by individuals who were not members of the ICPVE, the hosts of the Sao Paulo symposium are recognized as ad-hoc members of the committee to facilitate planning for the 17th ISPVE to be held in Sydney, Australia in 2028. Note: The ICPVE modified its representation following the ISPVE in Madrid (2022) to better reflect geographic differences and new subject matter that now includes vectored bacterial diseases. This change includes significant changes to representation from Asia that allows more complete representation from the different regions of the broad Asian continent. ICPVE now requires three Asian representatives with at least one each from East Asia, South Asia, and West Asia/Middle East due to the diverse geography and size of Asia. Other continents continue to have two representatives each. Current committee membership includes two representatives each from North America (both USA), Europe (UK, Spain), Africa (Nigeria, South Africa), Australasia/Oceania (both Australia), South America (Colombia, Peru), two from East Asia (both from Korea), one from South Asia (India), one from West Asia/Middle East (Israel), and one at-large member representing vectored bacterial diseases, along with the current chair from North America (USA).
Reports	Specific Events During the Reporting Period (2023-2028)   Special Issue of Phytopathology; Volume 113(9), September 2023 Following the International Symposium on Plant Virus Epidemiology (ISPVE) in Madrid, held in June 2022, selected speakers fro; m the symposium were invited to submit manuscripts for a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal, Phytopathology, based on the subject matter and quality of their presentations. The ICPVE has published a special peer-reviewed issue highlighting the research presented at the triennial ISPVE in Virus Research for many years. The special issue included 14 papers (https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/toc/phyto/113/9) and an editorial (https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-07-23-0262-V)   16th International Symposium on Plant Virus Epidemiology São Paulo, Brazil, June 30-July 3, 2025 The 16th International Symposium on Plant Virus Epidemiology was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil at Cásper Líbero University in downtown Sao Paulo.  The symposium was hosted by Marcelo Eiras, University of Sao Paulo, and Juliana de Freitas Astua of Embrapa.  A total of 151 abstracts were accepted and published in the book of abstracts. The symposium was attended by 159 registered participants from 30 countries on six continents, and included seven keynote speeches, 47 oral presentations and 104 poster presentations.  The lectures and presentations provided valuable information regarding recent advances in plant virus epidemiology research from throughout the world. The International Committee on Plant Virus Epidemiology and meeting organizers are grateful to the organizers and Cásper Líbero University for hosting the symposium and to the many sponsors who generously provided support for this event. Annual Report ICPVE 2025   Special Issue of Tropical Plant Pathology, 2026 Following the International Symposium on Plant Virus Epidemiology (ISPVE) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, held 30 June to 3 July, 2025, selected speakers from the symposium were invited to submit manuscripts for a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal, Tropical Plant Pathology, based on the subject matter and quality of their presentations. The ICPVE has published a special peer-reviewed issue highlighting the research presented at the triennial ISPVE in Virus Research for many years. This is the first year the special issue will be published in Tropical Plant Pathology. The publication process is lengthy and final acceptance of the last few manuscripts is anticipated in July 2026 with publication of all manuscripts online as well as in a hard copy volume. This special issue will include manuscripts from across the seven session topics from the symposium and a forward by the editorial team.   Site of the 17th International Symposium on Plant Virus Epidemiology: Sydney, Australia 2028   Report 2003-2008: http://www.isppweb.org/Society_Reports/ICPVE.htm Report 2008-2013: http://www.isppweb.org/Society_Reports/ICPVE.htm#2013 Report 2013-2018: Report to ISPP 2013-2018 Report 2018-2023: Report to ISPP 2018-2023
CURRENT Committee Members	William M. Wintermantel, Current Chairman Lava Kumar, Africa Representative Augustine Gubba, Africa Representative Ju-Yeon Yoon. East Asia Representative Eui-Joon Kil, East Asia Representative Celia Chalam Vasimalla, South Asia Representative Aviv Dombrovsky, West Asia and Middle East Representative Roger Jones. Australasia & Oceania Representative (Past Chairman). Piotr Trebicki, Australasia & Oceania Representative Alberto Fereres, Europe Representative (Past Chairman)’ Adrian Fox, Europe Representative Kerry Mauck, North America Representative Carolyn M. Malmstrom, North America Representative Jan F. Kreuze, South and Central America and Caribbean Representative Wilmer J. Cuellar, South and Central America and Caribbean Representative Cecilia Tamborindeguy, At Large Representative (Vectored Bacterial Diseases) Marcelo Eiras, ad-hoc member (host of 16th ISPVE, Sao Paulo, Brazil) Juliana de Freitas Astua ad-hoc member (host of 16th ISPVE, Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Publications	Peer-Reviewed Special Issues including selected contributions from research presented at the International Symposia on Plant Virus Epidemiology (ISPVE). 1. Fereres, A. J. M. Thresh, M.E. Irwin (Guest Editors). 2000. Plant virus epidemiology: Challenges for the twenty-first century – Virus Research 71 (1-2): 1-268. Elsevier. ISSN 0168-1702. 2. Thresh, J. M., R.A.C. Jones, T. Kuehne (Guest Editors). 2004. Plant Virus Epidemiology: First steps into the New Millennium. Virus Research 100 (1): 1-152. Elsevier. ISSN 0168-1702. 3. Thresh, J. M., A. Fereres, R.A.C. Jones and P.Lava Kumar (Guest Editors). 2009. Plant Virus Epidemiology: Controlling epidemics of emerging and established plant viruses - the way forward. Virus Research 141 (2): 111-267. Elsevier. ISSN 0168-1702. 4. Thresh, J. M., A. Fereres, N. Bosque-Perez, U. Melcher, J. Valkonen (Guest Editors). 2011. Plant Viruses and Virus Vectors: Exploiting Agricultural and Natural Ecosystems. Virus Research 159 (2): 83-222. Elsevier. ISSN 0168-1702. 5. Bosque-Pérez, N.A., J.M. Thresh, R.A.C. Jones, U. Melcher, A. Fereres, P.L. Kumar, S.M. Gray, H. Lecoq. (Guest Editors). 2014. Plant Virus Epidemiology Symposium Ecology, evolution and control of plant viruses and their vectors. Virus Research 186: 1-162. 6. Michael J Jeger, Nilsa Bosque-Perez, Alberto Fereres, Adrian Fox, Stewart Gray, Michael E. Irwin, RogerJones, Herve Lecoq, Carolyn Malmstrom, Peter Palukaitis (Guest Editors). 2017. Plant Virus Epidemiology. Virus Research, 241: 1-25 7. M.J. Jeger, A. Fereres, K. Mauck, W.M. Wintermantel (Guest Editors). 2020. Plant Virus Epidemiology. Virus Research https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/virus-research/special-issue/10ZPB3WGDPD. 8. M.J. Jeger, A. Fereres, K. Mauck, C. Malmstrom, W.M. Wintermantel (Guest Editors). 2023. Special Focus Issue: Plant Virus Epidemiology. Phytopathology 113(9) (https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/toc/phyto/113/9)
Additional Comments, if any:	2028 will be the year in which the triennial ISPVE is held the same year as the quinquennial ICPP. To optimize attendance at both conferences the ISPVE in Sydney is anticipated to be held either immediately prior to or subsequent to the ICPP in Gold Coast, scheduled for 18-26 August, 2028.