Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology
Dr. James Kotcon earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, a master of science degree in plant pathology from Michigan State University and a doctorate in plant pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research interests include such topics as: organic farming systems, agricultural pests of peach and apple, environmental impacts of pesticides on groundwater quality and on nontarget organisms, and biological control of nematodes. Dr. Kotcon’s teaching responsibilities are in the areas of principles of agroecology, sustainable living, principles of plant science, organic crop production, environmental impact assessment, diseases of economic crops, and nematology.
Publications
- Evans A. Basweti, Domingo J. Mata, Ben M. Goff, James B. Kotcon, and William B. Bryan. 2018. External Inputs and Livestock for Organic Hill Land Farming Systems in Appalachia. Agrosystems, Geoscience and Environment 1:1-10.
- J. R. Hendricks and J. B. Kotcon. Nematode management in Malus doesticus using endophyte-infected fescue as ground cover. Journal of Nematology (accepted for publication).
- Mathews, C.R., B. Blaauw, G. Dively, J. Kotcon, J. Moore, E. Ogburn, D. G. Pfeiffer, T. Trope, J. F. Walgenbach, C. Welty, G. Zinati, A. L. Nielsen. 2017. Evaluating a polyculture trap crop for organic management of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and native stink bugs in peppers. Journal of Pest Science. Published on-line at: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs10340-017-0838-z.pdf
- Verlinden, S., L. McDonald, J. Kotcon, S. Childs, T. Childers. 2017. Long-term effect of manure application in a certified organic production system on soil physical and chemical parameters and vegetable yields. HortTechnology 27:171-176.
- Tucker, Y., J. Kotcon and T. Mroz. 2015. Methanogenic Archaea in Marcellus Shale: A Possible Mechanism for Enhanced Gas Recovery in Unconventional Shale Resources. Environmental Science and Technology 49: 7048-7055.
- Tiffany L. Fess, James B. Kotcon and Vagner A. Benedito. 2011. Crop Breeding for Low Input Agriculture: A Sustainable Response to Feed a Growing World Population. Sustainability 3:1742-1772.