Location: Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research
Project Number: 8044-22000-051-043-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Jun 16, 2026
End Date: Jun 30, 2027
Objective:
The objectives of this work are: (1) To complete the morphological analysis of the entire culture collection of the causal agent of red leaf blotch, Coniothyrium glycines, along with near relatives, in order to finalize the generation of digital resources to enable rapid and precise visual identification by plant disease diagnosticians; and (2) To have two validated, high-performing molecular diagnostic assays that show optimal specificity and sensitivity for C. glycines to enable rapid detection in case of a suspected incursion of this high-consequence plant pathogen into the United States.
Approach:
For objective 1, we will (i) finish the characterization of fungal micro- and macromorphological structures and disease symptoms of C. glycines isolates selected as representatives of various clades or species; (ii) curate an easily accessible library of images and taxonomic resources useful in disease diagnostics for the non-specialist; and (iii) finish the creation of an asynchronous online workshop series to educate plant disease diagnosticians in the identification of C. glycines using resources generated by this study.
For objective 2, we will (i) use already-generated genomic data for C. glycines to test the sequence specificity of existing molecular diagnostic assays; (ii) determine the analytical specificity and sensitivity of existing molecular diagnostic assays for the detection of C. glycines; (iii) determine the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of existing molecular diagnostic assays for the detection of C. glycines; and (iv) if necessary, design new molecular targets for C. glycines, and determine the analytical and diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of each.