Elsa Petit

My teaching and research revolve around two main interests; viticulture and disease ecology. My original interest in grapes started in Bordeaux, France. I obtained my MS in agronomy at Ecole Nationale d’Ingenieurs des Travaux Agricoles, Bordeaux, France. I then studied diseases of grapevines at the University of California-Davis where I graduated with a PhD in plant pathology. I have pursued my interest in research in disease ecology since. My research focuses on how viticultural practices influence microorganisms and more specifically disease-causing (microorganisms) evolution. I teach courses in viticulture, plant pathology and disease ecology. I am also involved in helping students making the transition from vocational agricultural high schools in Massachusetts to the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.