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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #423732
Research Project: Expanding Resiliency and Utility of Alfalfa in Agroecosystems

Location: Plant Science Research

Title: Toward the development and validation of diagnostic assays for fungal pathogens of Northern wild rice (Zizania palustris L.) in North America

Author
item CASTELL-MILLER, CLAUDIA - University Of Minnesota
item BAKKER, MATHEW - University Of Manitoba
item KERN, ANTHONY - University Of Minnesota
item RANJAN, ASHISH - University Of Minnesota
item Schlatter, Daniel
item Samac, Deborah
item KIMBALL, JENNIFER - University Of Minnesota

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Northern wild rice (NWR) is a North American endemic, aquatic species of the Poaceae, known for its edible and nutritious grain. In Minnesota, USA, it is cultivated in constructed paddies, while in Manitoba, Canada, the grain is harvested from shallow waters of lakes and rivers. In both environments, fungal diseases are frequently present and can inflict serious grain losses, which not only threaten market supply stability but also conservation efforts for natural reseeding and the diversity of the germplasm. To anticipate management of diseases in these two divergent situations, we are developing tools to rapidly identify NWR pathogens. We developed PCR-based assays for the most common fungal pathogens using the Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA, the Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate-Dehydrogenase (G3PD), and other genes. PCR assays with species-specific G3PD primers identified Bipolaris oryzae, B. sorokiniana, and B. zeicola. Those targeting the ITS sequence differentiated Nakatea sigmoidea from other NWR-associated fungi. PCR and sequencing of amplicons with primers from ITS2 uncovered nucleotide differences within the Canadian B. sorokiniana isolates, with only one type identical to those from Minnesota. The specific PCR assays identified Bipolaris spp. from lesions after artificial inoculation. Additional refinement of PCR assays and complementary methods at the population level are underway. This collaborative work could improve understanding of microbial variability and anticipate control measures in areas where NWR is found.