Adrian Fox

Adrian is the Senior Plant Virologist at Fera. As lead virologist, his role is to deliver a high-quality virology diagnostic service to a wide range of UK and overseas government and commercial clients. The team utilises a range of both cutting edge and traditional techniques to provide comprehensive diagnostic service covering viruses, viroids and phytoplasmas across the global spectrum of agricultural and horticultural crops.

Fera

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  • Area of expertise
    Plant Virology
  • Years of experience
    20
  • Highest qualification
    BSc (Hons), CBiol MRSB

Adrian has participated as an external expert on working groups for European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), including co-authorship of a scientific opinion/risk assessment on Pospiviroids and risk assessment on Chrysanthemum stunt viroid. Adrian has authored or co-authored over 25 peer-reviewed papers, New Disease Reports and book chapters.

He is also a member of the International Committee on Plant Virus Epidemiology and is the chair of the European Association of Potato Research Virology Section.

More about crop health services

Fera offers a suite of crop health services, resources, testing facilities and expertise to help farmers, growers and the food industry to improve yields, reduce costs and develop sustainable solutions.


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Writing
Services

Latest Papers and Articles

Jones RAC, Boonham N, Adams IP and Fox A (2021) Historic Virus Isolate Collections: An Invaluable Resource Connecting Plant Virology’s Pre-sequencing and Post-sequencing Eras. Plant Pathology https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13313

Hammond J, Adams IP, Fowkes AR, McGreig S, Botermans M, van Oorspronk JJA, Westenberg M, Verbeek M, Dullemans AM Stijger CCMM, Blouin AG, Massart S, De Jonghe K, Heyneman M, Walsh JA, Fox A (2021) Sequence analysis of 43-year old samples of Plantago lanceolata show that Plantain virus X is synonymous with Actinidia virus X and is widely distributed, Plant Pathology https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13310

Fuentes S, Gibbs AJ, Adams IP, Wilson C, Botermans M, Fox A, Kreuze J, Boonham N, Kehoe MA, Jones RAC (2020) Potato virus A isolates from three continents: their biological properties, phylogenetics and prehistory, Phytopathology https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-08-20-0354-FI

Vazquez-Iglesias I, Scrace J, McGreig S, Pufal H, Robinson R, Clover GRG, Adams IP, Boonham N, Fox A (2020) First report of rose spring dwarf-associated virus in Rosa spp. in the United Kingdom. New Disease Reports 42, 13 http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2020.042.013

Vazquez-Iglesias I, Ochoa-Corona FM, Tang J, Robinson R, Clover GRG, Fox A, Boonham N (2020) Facing Rose rosette virus: a risk to European rose cultivation, Plant Pathology. 69(9) pp1603-1617 https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13255

Fox A (2020) Reconsidering causal association in plant virology. Plant Pathology. 69(6) pp 956-961 https://bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ppa.1319

Silvestre R, Fuentes S, Risco R, Berrocal A, Adams IP, Fox A, Cuellar WJ, Kreuze J (2020) Characterization of distinct strains of an aphid-transmitted ilarvirus (Fam. Bromoviridae) infecting different hosts from South America, Virus Research, 282 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2020.197944

Adams IP, Fribourg C, Fox A, Boonham N, Jones RAC (2019) Complete Coding Sequence of Andean potato mottle virus from a 40-Year-Old Sample from Peru, Microbiology Resource Announcements Oct 2019, 8 (40) e00871-19; DOI: 10.1128/MRA.00871-19 https://mra.asm.org/content/8/40/e00871-19

Skelton A, Buxton-Kirk A, Fowkes A, Harju V, Forde S, Ward R, Frew L, Wagstaff O, Pearce TR, Terry J, Dickie J, Cockel C, Nyamongo DO, Aboagye LM, Wasswa JM, Fox A (2019) Potato spindle tuber viroid  detected in seed of uncultivated Solanum anguivi, S. coagulans and S. dasyphyllum  collected from Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. New Disease Reports, 39, 23. DOI: 10.5197/j.2044-0588.2019.039.023

Vazquez-Iglesias I, Adams IP, Hodgetts J, Fowkes AR, Forde S, Ward R, Buxton-Kirk A, Kelly M, Santin-Azcona J, Skelton A, Harju V, Boonham N, Robinson R Clover G, Fox A (2019) High throughput sequencing and RT-qPCR assay reveal the presence of rose cryptic virus-1 in the United Kingdom, Journal of Plant Pathology, Online early view: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-019-00307-5

Fox A (2019) Viruses and virus-like pathogens of plants. Chapter 4, Plant Diseases and Biosecurity, by Beales P, Elphinstone J, Fox A, Lane C, McCann D, Lacey T, Little J (2019), Editor Ann Fullick, Oxford Biology Primers, Oxford University Press, ISBN: 9780198827726

Fox A, Fowkes AR, Skelton A, Harju V, Buxton-Kirk A, Kelly M, Forde SMD, Pufal H, Conyers C, Ward R, Weekes R, Boonham N, Adams IP (2019) Using High Throughput Sequencing in support of a plant health outbreak reveals novel viruses in Ullucus tuberosus (Basellaceae). Plant Pathology 68, 576-587 https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12962

 

Adams IP, Fox A, Boonham N and Jones RAC (2018) Complete genomic sequence of the potyvirus, Mashua virus Y, obtained from a 33-year-old mashua (Tropaeaolum tuberosum) sample, Microbiology Resource Announcements, 7, 15, e01064-18 DOI: 10.1128/MRA.01064-18 https://mra.asm.org/content/ga/7/15/e01064-18.full.pdf

 

 

 

Adams IP, Fox A, Boonham N, Massaart S, De Jonghe K, (2018) The impact of high throughput sequencing on plant health diagnostics, European Journal of Plant Pathology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-018-1570-0(Online September 2018)

 

 

 

Maree HJ, Fox A, Al Rwahnih M, Boonham N and Candresse T (2018) Application of HTS for Routine Plant Virus Diagnostics: State of the Art and Challenges. Frontiers in Plant Science. 9:1082. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01082

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skelton A, Fowkes A, Adams I, Buxton-Kirk A, Harju V, Forde S, Ward R, Kelly M, Barber P, Fox A, (2018). First report of Prunus necrotic ringspot virus and Mulberry cryptic virus 1 in mulberry (Morus alba) in the United Kingdom. New Disease Reports 37, 23. http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2018.037.023

 

 

 

Roenhorst JW, de Krom C, Fox A, Mehle N, Ravnikar M, Werkman AW (2018) Ensuring validation in diagnostic testing is fit for purpose: a view from the plant virology laboratory. EPPO Bulletin. 48, 1 105-115, DOI: 10.1111/epp.12445 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/epp.12445

 

 

 

Skelton A, Uzayisenga B, Fowkes A, Adams IP, Buxton-Kirk A, Harju V, Forde S, Ward R, Ritchie B, Rutherford M, Offord L, Umulisa C, Waweru B, Kagiraneza B, Karangwa P, Fox A (2018) First report of Pepper veinal mottle virus, Pepper yellows virus and a novel enamovirus in hot pepper (Capsicum sp.) in Rwanda. New Disease Reports, 37, 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2018.037.005

 

 

 

Adams IP, Skelton A, Macarthur R, Hodges T, Hinds H, Flint L, Deb Nath P, Boonham N, Fox A. (2014) Carrot yellow leaf virus Is Associated with Carrot Internal Necrosis. PLoS ONE 9(11): e109125. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109125

 

 

 

Adams I. P., Miano D. W., Kinyua Z. M., Wangai A., Kimani E., Phiri N., Reeder R., Harju V., Glover R., Hany U., Souza-Richards R., Deb Nath P., Nixon T., Fox A., Barnes A., Smith J., Skelton A., Thwaites R., Mumford R., and Boonham N. (2013) Use of next-generation sequencing for the identification and characterization of Maize chlorotic mottle virus and Sugarcane mosaic virus causing Maize Lethal Necrosis in Kenya. Plant Pathology, 62:4, pp741-749 [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3059.2012.02690.x]

 

 

Adrian and their team work with customers to deliver the following services within Fera...

Diagnostic assay validation and applied research on the epidemiology of viruses and viroids.

Insect Monitoring

Providing you with the information you need to make pest control decisions.

Learn more

Soil Health Unit

Health tests, organism monitoring and metal detection for your soil, amongst other services

Learn more

Grower support tools

Cutting edge software to help growers optimise their crop yield and health

Learn more

All Crop Health Services
Writing

Latest Papers and Articles

Jones RAC, Boonham N, Adams IP and Fox A (2021) Historic Virus Isolate Collections: An Invaluable Resource Connecting Plant Virology’s Pre-sequencing and Post-sequencing Eras. Plant Pathology https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13313

Hammond J, Adams IP, Fowkes AR, McGreig S, Botermans M, van Oorspronk JJA, Westenberg M, Verbeek M, Dullemans AM Stijger CCMM, Blouin AG, Massart S, De Jonghe K, Heyneman M, Walsh JA, Fox A (2021) Sequence analysis of 43-year old samples of Plantago lanceolata show that Plantain virus X is synonymous with Actinidia virus X and is widely distributed, Plant Pathology https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13310

Fuentes S, Gibbs AJ, Adams IP, Wilson C, Botermans M, Fox A, Kreuze J, Boonham N, Kehoe MA, Jones RAC (2020) Potato virus A isolates from three continents: their biological properties, phylogenetics and prehistory, Phytopathology https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-08-20-0354-FI

Vazquez-Iglesias I, Scrace J, McGreig S, Pufal H, Robinson R, Clover GRG, Adams IP, Boonham N, Fox A (2020) First report of rose spring dwarf-associated virus in Rosa spp. in the United Kingdom. New Disease Reports 42, 13 http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2020.042.013

Vazquez-Iglesias I, Ochoa-Corona FM, Tang J, Robinson R, Clover GRG, Fox A, Boonham N (2020) Facing Rose rosette virus: a risk to European rose cultivation, Plant Pathology. 69(9) pp1603-1617 https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13255

Fox A (2020) Reconsidering causal association in plant virology. Plant Pathology. 69(6) pp 956-961 https://bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ppa.1319

Silvestre R, Fuentes S, Risco R, Berrocal A, Adams IP, Fox A, Cuellar WJ, Kreuze J (2020) Characterization of distinct strains of an aphid-transmitted ilarvirus (Fam. Bromoviridae) infecting different hosts from South America, Virus Research, 282 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2020.197944

Adams IP, Fribourg C, Fox A, Boonham N, Jones RAC (2019) Complete Coding Sequence of Andean potato mottle virus from a 40-Year-Old Sample from Peru, Microbiology Resource Announcements Oct 2019, 8 (40) e00871-19; DOI: 10.1128/MRA.00871-19 https://mra.asm.org/content/8/40/e00871-19

Skelton A, Buxton-Kirk A, Fowkes A, Harju V, Forde S, Ward R, Frew L, Wagstaff O, Pearce TR, Terry J, Dickie J, Cockel C, Nyamongo DO, Aboagye LM, Wasswa JM, Fox A (2019) Potato spindle tuber viroid  detected in seed of uncultivated Solanum anguivi, S. coagulans and S. dasyphyllum  collected from Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. New Disease Reports, 39, 23. DOI: 10.5197/j.2044-0588.2019.039.023

Vazquez-Iglesias I, Adams IP, Hodgetts J, Fowkes AR, Forde S, Ward R, Buxton-Kirk A, Kelly M, Santin-Azcona J, Skelton A, Harju V, Boonham N, Robinson R Clover G, Fox A (2019) High throughput sequencing and RT-qPCR assay reveal the presence of rose cryptic virus-1 in the United Kingdom, Journal of Plant Pathology, Online early view: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-019-00307-5

Fox A (2019) Viruses and virus-like pathogens of plants. Chapter 4, Plant Diseases and Biosecurity, by Beales P, Elphinstone J, Fox A, Lane C, McCann D, Lacey T, Little J (2019), Editor Ann Fullick, Oxford Biology Primers, Oxford University Press, ISBN: 9780198827726

Fox A, Fowkes AR, Skelton A, Harju V, Buxton-Kirk A, Kelly M, Forde SMD, Pufal H, Conyers C, Ward R, Weekes R, Boonham N, Adams IP (2019) Using High Throughput Sequencing in support of a plant health outbreak reveals novel viruses in Ullucus tuberosus (Basellaceae). Plant Pathology 68, 576-587 https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12962

 

Adams IP, Fox A, Boonham N and Jones RAC (2018) Complete genomic sequence of the potyvirus, Mashua virus Y, obtained from a 33-year-old mashua (Tropaeaolum tuberosum) sample, Microbiology Resource Announcements, 7, 15, e01064-18 DOI: 10.1128/MRA.01064-18 https://mra.asm.org/content/ga/7/15/e01064-18.full.pdf

 

 

 

Adams IP, Fox A, Boonham N, Massaart S, De Jonghe K, (2018) The impact of high throughput sequencing on plant health diagnostics, European Journal of Plant Pathology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-018-1570-0(Online September 2018)

 

 

 

Maree HJ, Fox A, Al Rwahnih M, Boonham N and Candresse T (2018) Application of HTS for Routine Plant Virus Diagnostics: State of the Art and Challenges. Frontiers in Plant Science. 9:1082. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01082

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skelton A, Fowkes A, Adams I, Buxton-Kirk A, Harju V, Forde S, Ward R, Kelly M, Barber P, Fox A, (2018). First report of Prunus necrotic ringspot virus and Mulberry cryptic virus 1 in mulberry (Morus alba) in the United Kingdom. New Disease Reports 37, 23. http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2018.037.023

 

 

 

Roenhorst JW, de Krom C, Fox A, Mehle N, Ravnikar M, Werkman AW (2018) Ensuring validation in diagnostic testing is fit for purpose: a view from the plant virology laboratory. EPPO Bulletin. 48, 1 105-115, DOI: 10.1111/epp.12445 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/epp.12445

 

 

 

Skelton A, Uzayisenga B, Fowkes A, Adams IP, Buxton-Kirk A, Harju V, Forde S, Ward R, Ritchie B, Rutherford M, Offord L, Umulisa C, Waweru B, Kagiraneza B, Karangwa P, Fox A (2018) First report of Pepper veinal mottle virus, Pepper yellows virus and a novel enamovirus in hot pepper (Capsicum sp.) in Rwanda. New Disease Reports, 37, 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2018.037.005

 

 

 

Adams IP, Skelton A, Macarthur R, Hodges T, Hinds H, Flint L, Deb Nath P, Boonham N, Fox A. (2014) Carrot yellow leaf virus Is Associated with Carrot Internal Necrosis. PLoS ONE 9(11): e109125. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109125

 

 

 

Adams I. P., Miano D. W., Kinyua Z. M., Wangai A., Kimani E., Phiri N., Reeder R., Harju V., Glover R., Hany U., Souza-Richards R., Deb Nath P., Nixon T., Fox A., Barnes A., Smith J., Skelton A., Thwaites R., Mumford R., and Boonham N. (2013) Use of next-generation sequencing for the identification and characterization of Maize chlorotic mottle virus and Sugarcane mosaic virus causing Maize Lethal Necrosis in Kenya. Plant Pathology, 62:4, pp741-749 [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3059.2012.02690.x]

 

 
Services

Adrian and their team work with customers to deliver the following services within Fera...

Diagnostic assay validation and applied research on the epidemiology of viruses and viroids.

Insect Monitoring

Providing you with the information you need to make pest control decisions.

Learn more

Soil Health Unit

Health tests, organism monitoring and metal detection for your soil, amongst other services

Learn more

Grower support tools

Cutting edge software to help growers optimise their crop yield and health

Learn more

All Crop Health Services

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