The Journal of General Virology, a prestigious international journal of virus research published by the Society for General Microbiology in the United Kingdom, has selected a photo from Rodrigo Valverde, professor in the Department of Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology, for its October 2009 cover. The photo accompanies his manuscript, "A novel plant virus with unique properties infecting Japanese holly fern," co-authored with Sead Sabanadzovic from Mississippi State University. Valverde and his colleague researched the biological and molecular properties and full genome sequence of a new emerging virus species in the United States.

Linda Foster Benedict

(This article was published in the fall 2009 issue of Louisiana Agriculture.)