Research Interest: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of Plant-Microbe Interactions

Dr. McLaughlin's research involves the genetic characterization, evolution and molecular biology of whitefly-transmitted geminivirses infecting crops and weeds. The principal objective is to devise strategies using molecular and genetic engineering tools to control tomato yellow leaf curl geminivirus disease in tomato. He is also involved in use of bacteria as plant-growth promoting agents and as biocontrol agents to control viral, bacterial and fungal diseases in tomato and pepper. In addition, his research interests also involves the DNA fingerprinting and genetic diversity of Capsicum chinense (Jamaican Scotch Bonnet pepper) and Phaseolus vulgaris (beans).

Selected Publications

• Roye, M. E., W. A. McLaughlin, M. K. Nakhla and D. P. Maxwell. Genetic diversity among geminiviruses associated with the weed species Sida spp., Macroptilium lathyroides, and Wissadula amplissima from Jamaica. Plant Disease (1997):81:1251-1258. 0

Roye, M. E., M. E. Wernecke, W. A. McLaughlin, M. K. Nakhla and D. P. Maxwell. Tomato dwarf leaf curl virus, a new bipartite geminivirus associated with tomatoes and peppers in Jamaica and mixed infections with tomato yellow leaf curl virus. Plant Pathology (1999): 48: 370-378

Roye, Marcia E., Jodi Spence, Wayne A. McLaughlin and D. P. Maxwell. The common weed Macroptilium lathyroides is not a source of crop - infecting geminiviruses from Jamaica. Tropical Agriculture 76.4 (1999): 256-62.

Roye, Marcia E., N. M. Henry, P. D. Burrell, W. A. McLaughlin, M. K Nakhla and D. P. Maxwell A new tomato - infecting Begomovirus in Barbados [Abstract]. Plant Disease 84 (2000): 1342.

Roye, Marcia E., Wayne A. McLaughlin and D. P. Maxwell. The evolution of new virus genes: Interspecies recombination amoung two geminiviruses from Jamaica. Jamaica Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2000): 42 - 46.