Donald E. Aylor

Department of Plant Pathology & Ecology
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street
P.O. Box 1106
New Haven, CT 06504-1106
Voice: (203) 974-8528 Fax: (203) 974-8502
E-mail: Donald.Aylor@ct.gov  

Expertise:
Dr. Aylor has expertise in biometeorology, plant pathology, and mathematical modeling of plant disease epidemiology and aerial dispersal of plant pathogens.

Education:
B.S. State Univ. of New York Stony Brook (1964); Engineering Science
M.S. State Univ. of New York Stony Brook (1967); Mechanical Engineering
Ph.D. State Univ. of New York Stony Brook (1970); Mechanical Engineering

Station career:
Assistant Scientist, 1969-1973
Associate Scientist, 1973-1974
Scientist, 1974-1976
Chief Scientist and Head of Department Ecology and Climatology, 1976-1984
Chief Scientist and Head of Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology, 1984-2007
Distinguished Scientist and Head of Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology, 2003-2007
Emeritus Scientist, 2007-present

Past research:
His first research assignment upon joining the Station was to evaluate the role of plants in reducing noise outdoors. Other research studies have been on the mechanics and strength of plant cells and hydraulic transport of solutes in rivers.

Current research:
Current research is centered on the aerial dispersal of spores and pollen in the atmosphere. The approach is to combine elements of meteorology and biology to derive aerobiological models for predicting probabilities of disease spread by plant-pathogenic fungus spores and for evaluating the transfer of genetic information in the environment by airborne pollen. Applications are to regional management of plant diseases and to deployment of genetically-modified crops.

Selected publications available from author, Donald.Aylor@ct.gov

• Aylor, Donald E.  2017. 'Aerial Dispersal of Pollen and Spores.'  APS Press, 418 pages. (ISBN: 978-0-89054-542-3)

• Aylor, D. E., Shields, E. J., Schmale, D. G., Newcomb, M., and Nappo, C. J.  2011.  Tracking the Potato Late Blight pathogen in the atmosphere using unmanned aerial vehicles and Lagrangian modeling.  Agric. For. Meteorol. 151:251-260.

• Boehm, M. T., Aylor, D. E., and Shields, E. J.  2008.  Maize pollen dispersal under convective conditions.  Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 47:291-307.

• Aylor, D. E., Boehm, M. T., and Shields, E. J.  2006.  Quantifying aerial concentrations of maize pollen in the atmospheric surface layer using remote-piloted airplanes and Lagrangian stochastic modeling.  Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 45:1003-1015.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. 2005. Quantifying maize pollen movement in a maize canopy.  Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 131:247-256.

• Aylor, D. E., Baltazar, B. M. and Schoper, J. B. 2005. Some physical properties of teosinte (Zea mays subsp. parviglumis) pollen. Journal of Experimental Botany 56:2401-2407. 
  
  
• Boehm, M. T. and Aylor, D. E. 2005. Lagrangian stochastic modeling of heavy particle transport in the convective boundary layer. Atmospheric Environment 39:4841-4850.
  
  
• Aylor, D.E. 2004. Survival of maize (Zea mays) pollen exposed in the atmosphere. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 123:125-133.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E., Schultes, N. P. and Shields, E. J. 2003. An aerobiological framework for assessing cross-pollination in maize. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 119:111-129.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. 2003. Rate of dehydration of corn (Zea mays L.) pollen in the air. Journal of Experimental Botany 54:2307-2312.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. 2003. Spread of plant disease on a continental scale: Role of aerial dispersal of pathogens. Ecology 84:1989-1997.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. 2002. Settling speed of corn (Zea mays) pollen. Journal of Aerosol Science 33:1599-1605.
  
  
• LaMondia, J. A. and Aylor, D. E. 2001. Epidemiology and management of a periodically introduced pathogen. Biological Invasions 3:273-282.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E., Fry, W. E., Mayton, H. and Andrade-Piedra, J. L. 2001. Quantifying the rate of release and escape of Phytophthora infestans sporangia from a potato canopy. Phytopathology 91:1189-1196.
  
  
• Aylor, D.E. and Flesch, T.K. 2001. Estimating spore release rates using a Lagrangian stochastic simulation model. Journal of Applied Meterorology 40:1196-1208.
  
  
• Mizubuti, E. S. G., Aylor, D. E. and Fry, W. E. 2000. Survival of Phytophthora infestans sporangia exposed to solar radiation. Phytopathology 90:78-84.
  
  
• Waggoner, P. E. and Aylor, D. E. 2000. Epidemiology, a science of patterns. Annual Review of Phytopathology 38:71-94.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. 1999. Biophysical scaling and the passive dispersal of fungus spores: Relationship to integrated pest management strategies. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 97:275-292.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. and Irwin, M. E. 1999. Aerial dispersal of pests and pathogens: Implications for integrated pest management strategies. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 97:233-234.
  
  
• De Jong, M. D., Aylor, D. E., and Bourdot, G. W. 1999. Risk analysis for biocontrol of Cirsium arvense using Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in New Zealand. BioControl 43:397-419.  
  
  
• Aylor, D.E. 1998. The aerobiology of apple scab. Plant Disease 82:838-849.
  
  
• Aylor, D.E. and Sanogo, S. 1997. Germinability of Venturia inaequalis conidia exposed to sunlight. Phytopathology 87:628-633.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. and Qiu, J. 1996. Micrometeorological determination of release rate of Venturia inaequalis ascospores from a ground-level source during rain. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 81:157-178.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. 1996. Comparison of the seasonal pattern of airborne Venturia inaequalis ascospores with the release potential of V. inaequalis ascospores from a source. Phytopathology 86:769-776.  
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. and Ducharme, K. M. 1995. Wind fluctuations near the ground during rain. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 76:59-73.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. 1995. Vertical variation of aerial concentration of Venturia inaequalis ascospores in an apple orchard. Phytopathology 85:175-181.
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. and R. K. Kiyomoto. 1993. Relationship between Aerial Concentration of Venturia inaequalis Ascospores and Development of Apple Scab. Agricultural & Forest Meteorology 63:133-147.  
  
  
• Aylor, D. E. and Sutton, T. B. 1992. Release of Venturia inaequalis ascospores during unsteady rain: relationship to spore transport and deposition. Phytopathology 82:532-540.