Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research » Research » Research Project #442782

Research Project: Identification of Novel Central Valley Trichoderma Isolates for Biological Control of Pierce’s Disease in California

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.