Matthew Borden, DPM, Plant Pathologist

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, at The Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories, Matt conducts plant disease and disorder research on a variety of landscape trees and shrubs to support arboriculture and urban landscape sustainability. He primarily focuses on broadleaf evergreen shrubs and several groups of hardwood tree diseases in the Eastern United States. One of his top research priorities is beech leaf disease. A critical risk to forest and landscape beech trees, Bartlett scientists have worked to develop innovative management tools for the disease. Other interests include boxwood culture and disease management, tea crops, bacterial leaf scorch, and abiotic stress reduction.

Prior to joining Bartlett Tree Experts, Matt earned a Doctorate of Plant Medicine at the University of Florida, a program designed to provide multidisciplinary training in pest management, horticulture and soil and nutrient sciences. He also completed a Master’s program studying ecological services and sustainable pest management strategies with the Urban Landscape Lab at the UF Entomology and Nematology Department, a world leader in entomological sciences. His undergraduate studies at Virginia Tech and subsequent work in beekeeping, botanical garden collections and in tree fruit production at the Alson H. Smith Jr. AREC gave him a deep interest in integrated pest management adaptation to a variety of situations and plant health care concerns.