Location: Crops Pathology and Genetics Research
Project Number: 2032-22000-017-077-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2026
End Date: Aug 31, 2028
Objective:
1. Develop rapid and specific molecular tools for early pathogen detection in ornamental nursery production systems
2. Characterize soilborne pathogens infecting ornamental crops and evaluate drone imaging as technology tool for early symptom detection
Approach:
Objective 1. Implement the molecular assay Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) to detect Phytophthora pathogens from water samples. This technique successfully detects Phytophthora from infected plant tissue. To evaluate if this assay can be implemented in water samples, water will be spiked with zoospore suspension of several Phytophthora species and then filtrated. Filters will be analyzed through RPA, and success of pathogen detection will be evaluated. To further assess if the assay can be implemented in large bodies of water, 500-gallon tanks will be inoculated, and several water sampling techniques will be evaluated to determine the best way to collect water and then conduct RPA assays.
Objective 2. At least five different ornamental crops will be inoculated with oomycete species that have been recovered from symptomatic ornamental plants but not characterized as pathogens of ornamental crops. In the greenhouse, plants will be inoculated with oomycete-infested millet. Plant health will be monitored weekly, by characterizing symptom development, and measuring plant height and width. Simultaneosly, drone imaging will be taken to assess if high resolution imaging can discern between inoculated and non-inoculated plants. This objective will determine which oomycete species associated with symptomatic ornamental plants are pathogens, characterize symptom development and assess new technologies for early disease scouting.