Location: Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit
2022 Annual Report
Accomplishments
1. Detection of a new grapevine rupestris vein feathering virus in Idaho. The wine grape industry is a $6 billion business in the United States. Grapevine viruses can be detrimental to vine health, crop load ratio, fruit characteristics, and wine quality. Grapevine rupestris vein feathering virus (GRVFV) is associated with yellowing of leaf veins and decreased yield in Syrah grapes. ARS scientists in Corvallis, Oregon, with University of Idaho collaborators, conducted research on grapevine viruses in cooperation with commercial Idaho grape growers to identify a new GRVFV. A reliable diagnostic tool for detecting the variant in vineyards was developed to aid growers, by protecting them from losses through timely deployment of management strategies against the virus. This work was partially funded by Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research and Idaho State Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant.
2. Effects of nanomaterial on plant and soil health. Copper-based fungicides are widely used in agriculture, especially in vineyards. New nano-sized copper oxide fungicides have been developed, but concerns were raised about their potential harm to plants and soil microbes. ARS researchers in Prosser, Washington, and Davis, California, in collaboration with numerous university scientists and researchers at Advanced Light Source and Canadian Light Source, investigated the effects of nanomaterials on carrots, lettuce, and soil microbes. This research showed that these new products are generally less harmful to plants and soil microbial communities than other, more commonly used copper-based products. These results will help growers have confidence in using new nanomaterial fungicides to protect their crops.
Review Publications
Dahan, J., Thompson, B.D., Lee, J., Karasev, A.V. 2021. First report of grapevine rupestris vein feathering virus in wine grapes in Idaho. Plant Disease. 105(10):3309. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-21-0728-PDN.
Gelardi, D.L., Ainuddin, A., Rippner, D.A., Patiño, J.E., Abou Najm, M., Parikh, S.J. 2021. Biochar alters hydraulic conductivity and impacts nutrient leaching in two agricultural soils. Soil. 7(2):811-825. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-811-2021.
Rippner, D.A., Margenot, A.J., Fakra, S.C., Aguilera, L., Li, C., Sohng, J., Dynarski, K.A., Waterhouse, H., McElroy, N., Wade, J., Hind, S.R., Green, P.G., Peak, D., McElrone, A.J., Chen, N., Feng, R., Scow, K., Parikh, S. 2021. Microbial response to copper oxide nanoparticles in soils is controlled by land use rather than copper fate. Environmental Science: Nano. 8(12):3560-3576. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EN00656H.
