On March 26, 2026, Senior Researcher KASHIWA Takeshi of the Biological Resources and Utilization Division received the Young Scientist Award at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Phytopathological Society of Japan, which was held from March 26 to 28 at Setsunan University’s Hirakata Campus in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture. 

This award is presented to members who have conducted outstanding research contributing to the advancement of plant pathology and who are expected to make further contributions in the future. Dr. Kashiwa’s awarded-winning achievement, titled “Research on the Ecology and Control of Plant Diseases Occurring in Subtropical Regions,” is a series of studies aimed at achieving stable control of soybean rust and purple seed stain in South America. It combines pathogen genome analysis conducted at JIRCAS with on-site field surveys, and has been highly evaluated for its contributions.

Going forward, he plans to further develop this research and advance efforts toward the development of sustainable management technologies for soil-borne plant diseases that are difficult to control.