Location: Crop Improvement and Protection Research
Project Number: 2038-22000-019-003-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: May 1, 2018
End Date: Apr 30, 2023
Objective:
The objective of the project is to investigate the relationship between an obligate pathogen (Polymyxa betae) and their sugar beet and spinach hosts.
Approach:
Several different research approaches will be followed to attain the objectives of this project.
• Real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques for the detection and quantification of Polymyxa (P.) betae in host tissue were recently developed and will be used to evaluate aggressiveness of different isolates in our culture collection from around the country on sugar beet, spinach and several weed hosts (the appropriate permits are in place).
• The genomes of two different isolates have been partially assembled and coding regions are being identified. Comparative genomics will then be used to identify coding regions with sequence divergence between them that will be suitable for phylogenetic studies. Regions of sequence divergence will also be used for developing primers to genotype isolates. The end result will be to determine if there are specific genotypes associated with levels of virulence.
• The ability of the P. betae real time PCR assay to quantify the level of the pathogen in the soil as a tool for predicting the severity of infection will be evaluated.
