Project Number: 1230-22000-032-10
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 01, 2010
End Date: Aug 31, 2013

Objective:
To determine if it is possible to develop molecular assays with increased sensitivity which are reliable for detection of R. fascians and A. tumefaciens in asymptomatic tissues.

Approach:
We will examine all published sequences of both pathogens to find gene regions associated with virulence that are most highly conserved to develop primers reliable for detection. Optimization of the assay will follow, and may involve developing better extraction protocols, a nested PCR assay, a quantitative real-time PCR assay or using other enhancements to the current assays.