Location: Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research
Project Number: 2034-22000-014-016-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2022
End Date: Jun 30, 2025
Objective:
Identify and sequence Central Valley grapevine Trichoderma isolates that exhibit effective biocontrol of Pierce's disease of grapevine.
Approach:
An already available unique collection of Central Valley Trichoderma isolates will be screened to identify those that enhance resistance to Pierce's disease. This will consist of greenhouse plant-pathogen assays whereby plants are first inoculated with Trichoderma isolates via stem or root inoculations, and then infected with Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce's disease, via the pin-prick method. Following two-, four- and six-months, disease measurements will be made and Xylella fastidiosa titers assessed via PCR in infected plants, and comparisons will be made with healthy controls. Next-generation sequencing and microscopy approaches also will be employed to genetically and morphologically characterize of Trichoderma biocontrol isolates.
