Location: Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research
2022 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Generate and utilize genomic and proteomic sequence information of emerging and threatening fungal plant pathogens to develop diagnostic assays.
Sub-objective 1.A: Develop accurate and rapid means for the identification and detection of foreign fungal plant pathogens.
Sub-objective 2.B: Evaluate chemical control methods for emerging fungal plant pathogens.
Objective 2: Identify factors involved in fungal pathogen infection and virulence.
Sub-objective 2.A: Determine environmental factors affecting sporulation of fungal plant pathogens.
Sub-objective 2.B: Evaluate chemical control methods for emerging fungal plant pathogens.
Sub-objective 2.C: Identify genes and proteins contributing to virulence in fungal plant pathogens.
Sub-objective 2.D: Identify alternative hosts for fungal plant pathogens.
Objective 3: Screen germplasm and identify resistance genes to emerging and threatening fungal plant pathogens.
Sub-objective 3.A: Screen germplasm for resistance to foreign fungal plant pathogens.
Sub-objective 3.B: Identify accession-specific resistance genes for emerging and threatening fungal plant pathogens.
Sub-objective 3.C: Identify new races of fungal pathogens that can be controlled by existing resistance genes.
Approach
Genomic sequence information will be generated from host plants and foreign fungal plant pathogens. Bioinformatic analyses will be conducted to identify resistance genes, pathogenicity factors, markers for evaluating pathogen populations, and unique targets for DNA-based diagnostic assay development. Pathogen proteins or isoforms will be identified and used to generate antibodies to develop immunodiagnostic assays. Fungicides will be evaluated for their efficacy in controlling emerging fungal plant pathogens. Controlled environment growth chambers will be used to determine the effect of temperature and humidity on the sporulation of fungal plant pathogens. Containment greenhouses will be utilized to screen plant germplasm with foreign fungal plant pathogens to identify sources of host resistance.
Progress Report
This report is for a new project which began April 11, 2022, and continues research from 8044-22000-045-000D, “Biology, Epidemiology, and Detection of Emerging Plant Pathogenic Oomycetes". There is no significant progress to report in FY2022. Please refer to the FY2022 Annual Report 8044-22000-045-00D for more information.
Accomplishments
Review Publications
Malaker, P.K., Barma, N.C., Tiwari, T.P., Collis, W.J., Duveiller, E., Singh, P.K., Joshi, A.K., Singh, R.P., Braun, H.J., Peterson, G.L., Pedley, K.F., Farman, M.L., Valent, B. 2016. First report of wheat blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum in Bangladesh. Plant Disease. 100:2330. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-16-0666-PDN.
Tembo, B., Mulenga, R.M., Sichilima, S., M'Siska, K.K., Mwale, M., Chikoti, P., Singh, P.K., He, X., Pedley, K.F., Peterson, G.L., Singh, R.P., Braun, H.J. 2020. Detection and characterization of fungus (Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum) causing wheat blast disease on rain-fed grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Zambia. PLoS ONE. 15:e0238724. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238724.
Cruppe, G., Silva, P., Da Silva, C.L., Peterson, G.L., Pedley, K.F., Cruz, C.D., Asif, M., Lollato, R.P., Fritz, A., Valent, B. 2020. Genome-wide association reveals limited benefits of pyramiding the 1B and 1D loci with the 2NS translocation for wheat blast control. Crop Science. 61:1089-1103. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20397.
Debacker, M., Bonants, P., Pedley, K.F., Maes, M., Roldan-Ruiz, I., Van Bockstaele, E., Heugens, K., Van Der Lee, T. 2013. Genetic relationships in an international collection of Puccinia horiana isolates based on newly identified molecular markers and demonstration of recombination. Phytopathology.103:1169-1179. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-01-13-0007-R.
Morales, A., O'Rourke, J.A., Van De Mortel, M., Schneider, K., Bancroft, T., Borem, A., Nelson, R., Nettleton, D., Baum, T., Shoemaker, R.C., Frederick, R.D., Abdelnoor, R.V., Pedley, K.F., Whitham, S.A., Graham, M.A. 2013. Transcriptome analyses and virus induced gene silencing identify genes in the Rpp4-mediated Asian soybean rust resistance pathway. Functional Plant Biology. DOI:10.1071/FP12296.
