Rate My Professor joe Roberts

Joseph Roberts is an Associate Professor of Turfgrass Pathology and Nematology and Extension Specialist in the Horticulture Program Team of the Plant and Environmental Sciences Department at Clemson University. Stationed at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center with an office in the Biosystems Research Complex, Room 206, on the main campus, he earned his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from North Carolina State University in 2014, M.S. in Plant Biology and Pathology from Rutgers University in 2009, B.S. in Biological Sciences from North Carolina State University in 2007, and B.A. in Chemistry from North Carolina State University in 2007. Roberts joined Clemson University in fall 2019, where he leads research on innovative strategies to reduce turfgrass and crop losses from fungal, bacterial, and nematode pathogens. His work addresses fungal diseases in grass hosts, emerging nematode and bacterial issues, the turfgrass microbiome, plant-microbe interactions, disease etiology, management practices, and beneficial microbes for turf health. He conducts annual trials evaluating cultural and chemical controls for common regional diseases.

Roberts has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, including Doherty et al. (2024) 'Improving winter survival of interspecific hybrid bermudagrass in the Mid-Atlantic region through cultural practices' in Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management; Alam et al. (2023) 'Enhancing reniform nematode management in sweet potato by complementing host-plant resistance with non-fumigant nematicides' in Plant Disease; Zeng et al. (2023) 'Ficophagus pisocarpae n. sp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae), an associate of Ficus pisocarpa in China' in Nematology; Doherty and Roberts (2023) 'Topdressing Biochar Compost Mixtures and Biological Control Organism Applications Suppress Foliar Pathogens in Creeping Bentgrass Fairway Turf' in Plant Disease; Alam et al. (2022) 'Non-fumigant nematicides are promising alternatives to fumigants for the management of Meloidogyne enterolobii in tobacco' in Journal of Nematology; and Roberts et al. (2017) 'Identification and pathogenicity of bacteria associated with etiolation and decline of creeping bentgrass golf course putting greens' in Phytopathology. In extension, he organizes and presents at Clemson Pee Dee REC Turfgrass Research Field Days (2022-2024), engages in conferences and trade shows, contributes to trade publications, and diagnoses turfgrass diseases and nematodes statewide, providing actionable recommendations to professionals.