Stover added new insights into the taxonomy, variation, and physiology of the fungus, helped describe its interaction with banana, characterized resistance and susceptibility in banana, studied the influence of edaphic factors on the pathogen, and introduced flood fallowing as a means for cleansing contaminated soil (a practice that was later shown to contribute to the spread of the fungus).
As you can guess, the student in question was yours truly, and while it did take some
added effort — and, I'd like to think, guilt on
Stover's part — to get an A in that class, I didn't have to resort to anything resembling the over-the-top antics presented in hot scribe Kevin Williamson's directorial debut, Teaching Mrs. Tingle.