Location: Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit
Project Number: 2072-22000-045-046-G
Project Type: Grant
Start Date: May 1, 2024
End Date: Oct 31, 2025
Objective:
1. Investigate the effect of grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) on structural changes in wood tissue, in concert with rootstocks’ resistance attributes ensuing either from the modifications caused by the genetic makeup of the rootstocks or the associated endophytes, as a means to manage GTDs in infected and newly planted vineyards.
Approach:
Examine cellular and ultrastructural responses of symptomatic and asymptomatic grapevines during different times of the growing season to ascertain fungal pathogens’ role in pathogenicity (mode of action of infection) and the interactions between the grapevines and the fungal pathogens. Identify resistant rootstock cultivars by examining the xylem ultrastructure of asymptomatic grapevines. Ascertain if the resistance is due to the genetic makeup of the rootstock cultivars and/or their association with endophytes conferring the resistance.
