Adjunct Faculty

US Forest Service Research Plant Pathologist 

Focus

Research

• Design and implement a population genetics study of the laurel wilt pathogen, Raffaelea lauricola, using microsatellite markers
• Identify the endophyte community in lingering ash that have survived emerald ash borer

Employment Highlights

• Research Plant Pathologist, USDA Forest Service, Lexington, KY, 2015 to present
• Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Florida, 2014-2015
• Research Assistant, University of Florida, 2007-2014

Recent Research Publications

2019

• McNulty, S., A. Baca, M. Bowker, S. Brantley, T. Dreaden, S.W. Golladay, T. Holmes, N. James, S. Liu, R. Lucardi, A. Mayfeld, G. Sun, E. Treasure, L.M. Conner, L.L. Smith, J.M. Vose. 2019. Managing Effects of Drought in the Southeast United States. In: Vose, J.M., D.L. Peterson, C.H. Luce, T. Patel-Weynand, eds. Effects of drought on forests and rangelands in the United States: translating science into management responses. Gen. Tech. Rep. WO-98. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington Office. 191-220. Chapter 9.
• Loyd, A.L., K.D. Chase, A. Nielson, N. Hoover, T.J. Dreaden, A.E. Mayfield, E. Crocker, and S.W. Fraedrich. 2019. First report of laurel wilt caused by Raffaelea lauricola on Sassafras albidum in Tennessee and Kentucky. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-19-1914-PDN.
• Kobziar, L.N., M.R.A. Pingree, A.C. Watts, K.N Nelson, T.J. Dreaden, M. Ridout. 2019. Accessing the Life in Smoke: A New Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to Sample Wildland Fire Bioaerosol Emissions and Their Environment. Fire, 2, 56. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire2040056
• Crocker, E., T. Dreaden, K. Leonberger, N. Gauthier. Laurel Wilt Disease: A Treat to Kentucky Sassafras Trees. Kentucky Pest News. July 30, 2019.
• Sena, K. L., J. Yang, A. J. Kohlbrand, T. J. Dreaden, C. D. Barton. 2019.  Landscape variables influence Phytophthora cinnamomi distribution within a forested Kentucky watershed. Forest Ecology and Management. 436:39–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.01.008.
• Dreaden, T. J., M. A. Hughes, R. C. Ploetz, A. Black, J. A. Smith. 2019. Genetic Analyses of the Laurel Wilt Pathogen, Raffaelea lauricola, in Asia Provide Clues on the Source of the Clone that is Responsible for the Current USA Epidemic. Forests. 10, 37; doi:10.3390/f10010037.

2018

• Kobziar, L. N., M. R. A. Pingree, H. Larson, T. J. Dreaden, S. Green, J. A. Smith. 2018. Pyroaerobiology: the aerosolization and transport of viable microbial life by wildland fire. Ecosphere. 9(11):e02507. 10.1002/ecs2.2507.
• Sena, K. L., T. J. Dreaden, E. Crocker and C. D. Barton. 2018. Detection of Phytophthora cinnamomi in forest soils by PCR on DNA extracted from leaf disc baits. Plant Health Progress 19:193-200. DOI:10.1094/PHP-01-18-0004-RS.
• Sena, K. L., K. M. Yeager, T. J. Dreaden, and C. D. Barton. 2018. Phytophthora cinnamomi Colonized Reclaimed Surface Mined Sites in Eastern Kentucky: Implications for the Restoration of Susceptible Species. Forests. 19:193-200. doi:10.3390/f9040203.

2017

• Hughes, M. A., J. J. Riggins, F. H. Koch, A. I. Cognato, C. Anderson, J. P. Formby, T. J. Dreaden, R. C. Ploetz, J. A. Smith. 2017. No rest for the laurels: Symbiotic invaders causes unprecedented damage to southern USA forests. Biological Invasions. DOI 10.1007/s10530-017-1427-z.
• Ploetz, R. C., M. A. Hughes, P. E. Kendra, S. W. Fraedrich, D. Carrillo, L. L. Stelinski, J. Hulcr, A. E. Mayfield, III, T. J. Dreaden, J. H. Crane, E. A. Evans, B. A. Schaffer, and J. A. Rollins. 2017. Recovery plan for laurel wilt of avocado, caused by Raffaelea lauricola. Plant Health Prog. 18:51-77. doi:10.1094/PHP-12-16-0070-RP.
• Ploetz, R. C., P. E. Kendra, R. A. Choudhury, J. A. Rollins, A. Campbell, K. Garrett, M. Hughes, T. Dreaden. 2017. Laurel Wilt in Natural and Agricultural Ecosystems: Understanding the Drivers and Scales of Complex Pathosystems. Forests. 8:48; doi:10.3390/f8020048.

2016

• Simmons, D. R., Z. W. de Beer, Y. Huang, C. C. Bateman, A. S. Campbell, T. J. Dreaden, Y. Li, R. C. Ploetz, H. Li, C. Chen, M. J. Wingfield, J. Hulcr. 2016. New Raffaelea species (Ophiostomatales) from the United States and Taiwan associated with ambrosia beetles and plant hosts. IMA Fungus. 7:265-273.
• Dreaden, T.J., J.A. Smith, M.M. Cram, and D.R. Coyle. 2016. Biology, diagnosis and management of Heterobasidion root disease of southern pines. Southern Regional Extension Forestry Fact Sheet SREF-FH-004. 5 p.
• Dreaden, T. J., A. S. Campbell, C. A. Gonzalez-Benecke, R. C. Ploetz and J. A. Smith. 2016. Response of swamp bay, Persea palustris, and redbay, P. borbonia, to Raffaelea spp. isolated from Xyleborus glabratus. Forest Pathology. DOI: 10.1111/efp.12288.
• Campbell, A. S., R. C. Ploetz, T. J. Dreaden, P. Kendra, and W. Montgomery. 2016 Geographic variation in mycangial communities of Xyleborus glabratus. Mycologia. 15-133. DOI:10.3852/15-133
• Ploetz , R. C., Y. Y. Thant, M. A. Hughes, T. J. Dreaden, J. Konkol,J. A. Smith, and C. L. Harmon. 2016. Laurel wilt, caused by Raffaelea lauricola, is detected for the first time outside the southeastern USA. Plant Disease. Accepted.
• McCluskey,K., A. Alvarez, R. Bennett, D. Bokati, K. Boundy-Mills, D. Brown, T. Bull, M. Coffey, T. J. Dreaden, C. Duke, G. Dye, E. Ehmke, K. Eversole, K. Fenstermacher, D. Geiser, A. Glaeser, S. Greene, L. Gribble, P. Griffith, K. Hanser, R. Humber, W. Johnson, A. Kermode, M. Krichevsky, M. Laudon, J. Leach, J. Leslie, M. May, U. Melcher, D. Nobles, R. Fonseca, S. Robinson, M. Ryan, J. Scott, C. Silflow, A. Vidaver, M. Webb, E. Wertz, S. Yentsch, and S. Zehr. 2016. The U.S. Culture Collection Network lays the foundation for progress in preservation of valuable microbial resources. Phytopathology 106: 532-540.

2014

• Dreaden, T. J., J. M. Davis, Z. W. de Beer, R. C. Ploetz, P. S. Soltis, M. J. Wingfield, and J. A. Smith. 2014. Phylogeny of ambrosia beetle symbionts in the genus Raffaelea. Fungal Biology. 118:970-978. DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2014.09.001.
• Dreaden, T. J., J. M. Davis, M. J. Wingfield, and J. A. Smith. 2014. Development of a PCR-RFLP Based Detection Method for the Oak Pathogens Diplodia corticola and D. quercivora. Plant Health Progress. 15:9-12.
• Dreaden, T. J., J. M. Davis, C. L. Harmon, R. C. Ploetz, A. J. Palmateer, P. S. Soltis, and J. A. Smith. 2014. Development of multilocus PCR assays for Raffaelea lauricola, causal agent of laurel wilt disease. Plant Disease. 98:379-383.
• Dreaden, T. J., A. W. Black, S. Mullerin, and J. A. Smith. 2014. First Report of Diplodia quercivora Causing Shoot Dieback and Branch Cankers on Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) in the USA. Plant Disease 98:282.

2012

• Ploetz, R.C., J. M. Perez-Martınez, J. A. Smith, M. Hughes, T. J. Dreaden, S. A. Inch, and Y. Fu. 2012. Responses of avocado to laurel wilt, caused by Raffaelea lauricola. Plant Pathology 61 (4): 801-808.
• Dreaden, T. J., J. A. Smith, G.M. Blakeslee, and E. L. Barnard. 2012. Development and evaluation of a real-time PCR seed lot screening method for Fusarium circinatum, causal agent of pitch canker disease. Forest Pathology 42 (5): 405-411.

2011

• Ploetz R. C., J. E. Peña, J. A. Smith, T. J. Dreaden, J. H. Crane, T. Schubert, and W. Dixon. 2011. Laurel wilt is confirmed in Miami-Dade County, center of Florida’s commercial avocado production. Plant Disease 95. 1589.
• Dreaden, T. J., K. Shin, and J. A. Smith. 2011. First Report of Diplodia corticola Causing Branch Cankers on Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) in Florida. Plant Disease 95. 1027.