Location: Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit
Project Number: 2072-22000-045-052-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2024
End Date: Aug 31, 2026
Objective:
Objective 1: Molecular and Field-Ready Tools for Pathogen Monitoring.
Objective 2: Local to Regional Pathogen Prediction and Disease Risk Assessment.
Objective 3: Building and Delivering Training Materials on a National Scale.
Approach:
Objective 1: Develop sampling guidelines for air samplers, and active sample collection devices. Adapt off-the-shelf devices for high volume spore sampling that can be paired with non-random sampling approaches. Develop molecular diagnostic tools for resistance in multiple grape pathogens. Multiple diagnostic tools will be employed including qPCR-based methodologies and amplicon-based sequencing to probe environmental samples for critical vineyard management information (i.e., pathogen presence, subspecies-population information, and fungicide resistance status). Compare results from molecular assays by sampling vineyards throughout a season to identify critical periods where there is the greatest structure in vineyard pathogen populations.
Objective 2: Build vineyard scale risk maps for powdery mildew likelihood based on innovative measurements of all three points of the disease triangle. This includes model and measure: microclimate and microdispersal; pathogen incidence, virulence, and fungicide resistance; and parameters that influence host susceptibility such as canopy density, trellis style, phenology. This will be done with high spatial and temporal resolution Earth observations from commercial and space agency sources. Integrate these data streams using transport models developed in our previous project FRAME to yield risk maps that can be used to optimize spore trap deployment, train improved remote sensing models, and strategically deploy extension education to regions most at risk of disease development.
Objective 3: Develop durable educational resources on fungicide resistance, disease risk, and pathogen monitoring for broad training and reach. Empower new and existing networks of Extension professionals with the skills to disseminate knowledge of pathogen detection and fungicide resistance through a train-the-trainer program. Use collaborative tools and platforms to share actionable information in real time on disease risk, pathogen detection, resistance incidence and distribution of resistant isolates. Support existing grower networks and influential individuals (public and private) through targeted dissemination of information at workshops and training involving hands-on activities, group work, and skills-building.