Location: Floral and Nursery Plants Research
Project Number: 8020-22000-042-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: Apr 9, 2017
End Date: Mar 16, 2022
Objective:
The three objectives of this project are: (1) Characterize viruses of major significance to ornamental and nursery crops, including uncharacterized or emerging viruses affecting key ornamental crops, and develop corresponding diagnostic testing methods. [NP303, C1, PS1]; (2) Determine the genome organization of selected viruses of major significance to ornamental and nursery crops. Analyze full-length infectious clones to determine the genes or gene products involved in replication, systemic movements, and pathogenicity to understand the role of viral pathogen genes in disease development and to identify new targets in the pathogen genome and tools for disease management. [NP303, C2, PS2A]; and, (3) Characterize genomes of bacteria of major significance to ornamental and nursery crops to develop diagnostic tests for accurate pathogen detection. Identify and characterize genes and/or phages affecting virulence and competitiveness of those bacteria to develop effective control methods. [NP303, C1, PS1].
The long-term objective of this project is to develop effective means for the detection and identification of new and emerging plant viral and bacterial diseases of ornamentals, thus allowing growers to select pathogen-free or pathogen-indexed plants (tested for absence of specific pathogens) for propagation. Improved detection and differentiation methods for these pathogens will enable state and federal regulatory officials to make timely and appropriate recommendations in safeguarding the movement of horticultural and agricultural products into the United States. Understanding viral and bacterial genome structures and functions, their mechanisms of pathogenicity and resistance, and conferring virus and bacterial resistance in plants will lead to the development of better disease control measures and increases in both productivity and quality of ornamental plants for industry and the consumer.
Additional resources in the merged project will strengthen the research in the current Objective 1:
Objective 1: Characterize viruses of major significance to ornamental and nursery crops, including uncharacterized or emerging viruses affecting key ornamental crops, and develop corresponding diagnostic testing methods. [NP303, C1, PS1]
Approach:
The overall approach is to develop knowledge, tools, and reagents to aid U.S. floricultural producers and diagnosticians to establish and apply effective virus testing protocols to improve clean stock production for vegetatively-propagated annuals and perennials. Research will initially focus on those "new" currently uncharacterized or emerging viruses affecting key ornamental crops recently identified as significant to the floral and nursery industry. Based on the knowledge and tools developed while identifying and characterizing new viruses and comparisons to previously-characterized viruses, new virus-specific and broad spectrum polyclonal and/or monoclonal antibody reagents, purification protocols, nucleic acid hybridization probes, PCR primers, isothermal amplification methods, and improved associated protocols will be developed. Validation of the recently devloped Universal Plant Virus Microarray (UPVM) will continue in order to transfer the UPVM technology to potential users. Next generation sequencing (NGS) of nucleic acid extracts from plants infected with unknown viruses is expected to yield information about the genomes of previously uncharacterized viruses without any background information on what viruses might be infecting the plant. Both NGS and UPVM have the potential to identify any virus present and identify all components of mixed infections, and is suited to application in situations where rapid results are important (in Quarantine operations and germplasm introduction).
Determine the genome organization of selected viruses of major significance to ornamental and nursery crops. Analyze full-length infectious clones to determine the genes or gene products involved in replication, systemic movements, and pathogenicity to understand the role of viral pathogen genes in disease development and to identify new targets in the pathogen genome and tools for disease management. We will make modifications to infectious clones of selected viruses by gene exchange and site-directed mutagenesis. We will examine interactions between viral gene products, and between viral and host proteins, using yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and GST-pulldown assays. VIGS and/or protein over-expression will also be utilized.
Characterize genomes of bacteria of major significance to ornamental and nursery crops to develop diagnostic tests for accurate pathogen detection. The genomic DNA sequences of ornamental strains of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) will be determined. The genetic diversity and phylogenetic relatedness among woody ornamental and non-ornamental strains will be evaluated. This sequence information will be used to develop specific PCR detection tools for woody ornamental strains of Xf. The identification and characterization of genes and regulatory elements, including phages, affecting virulence and/or competitiveness of Ralstonia solanacearum (including Race 3 Biovar 2) will be studied. This information will be used to further develop accurate detection tools and effective control methods.
