Location: Cereal Disease Lab
Project Number: 5062-21220-025-035-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2024
End Date: Aug 1, 2026
Objective:
Phase I – Literature Review
Review the historical U. S. Army Technical Reports and open-source peer-reviewed scientific literature on wheat stem rust biology and epidemiology. and draft a comprehensive report summarizing data. Provide draft report to Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology for review and comment.
Phase II – Characterization Laboratory/ Field Studies
Develop a study plan describing the technical approach and schedule of laboratory and field efforts that would fill gaps identified in Phase 1. Provide draft report to Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology for review and comment.
Approach:
Phase I – Literature Landscape Review and identification
ARS Scientists will retrieve, archive, review, data mine and catalogue historical Army Technical Reports on wheat stem rust research conducted by U.S. Army Plant Sciences Laboratory, Plant Pathology Division, Ft. Detrick, MD. Retrieve, archive, review, and data mine open-source peer-reviewed field and containment facility research on wheat stem rust conducted by U.S. and international researchers. Catalogue publications in database format. Identify information and data on wheat stem rust relevant to gaps in Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology risk and threat assessment models. Identify gaps that could be addressed by additional laboratory studies. Compare published data on the wheat stem rust Ug99 race group to analogous data on domestically circulating races of the pathogen with reference to data gaps in Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology risk and threat assessment models. Identify feasibility of analogous research with domestic race(s) that would address gaps in field studies in MN and/or KS. Prioritize which gaps could feasibly be addressed by the ARS Ft Detrick, MD and ARS St. Paul, MN in Phase II. Consult with Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology to determine those which of gaps that could be addressed by additional laboratory studies that also have the highest weight in models. Draft comprehensive report summarizing data to fill knowledge gaps, interpretation of data, and knowledge gaps that were not filled due to lack of available literature.
Phase II – Characterization Laboratory/ Field Studies
ARS Scientists will develop research plans describing the technical approach and schedule of laboratory and field efforts that would fill gaps identified above. Develop and refine methodology for executing the agreed upon research plan. This effort will include pathogen acquisition and host plant propagation at appropriate growth stages, under suitable conditions. Identify appropriate locations and times for containment and field research. Develop detailed work plans for containment research at each location. Draft a comprehensive report that includes a summary of research methods and results.
