Location: Crop Improvement and Protection Research
Project Number: 2038-22000-019-064-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Nov 1, 2024
End Date: Jun 30, 2027
Objective:
The objectives are to: 1) Prepare vectors for expressing the Verticillium dahliae avirulence genes for race 1, race 2, and race 3 in lettuce. 2) Infiltrate the expression vectors into lettuce leaves and verify expression by reverse transcription PCR. 3) Verify the assay reactions for resistance and susceptibility using lettuce with known resistance to race 2 and 3. 4) Screen 200 lettuce cultivars and germplasm for resistant reactions using the rapid assay. 5) Share the results of the screening assay with seed companies and growers.
Approach:
Standard molecular biology approaches will be employed to introduce genes for avirulence from Verticillium dahliae race 1, race 2 and race 3 isolates into an expression vector for plant expression. The vectors will be transformed into Agrobacterium and infiltrated into lettuce leaves for examination of resistant or susceptible responses. Results will be shared with growers and seed companies through industry presentations and publication of results in a scientific journal.