Conventional and molecular assays aid diagnosis of crop diseases and fungicide resistance

Authors

Themis J Michailides
David P Morgan
Zhonghua Ma
Yong Luo
Daniel Felts
Mark A Doster
Heraclio Reyes

Authors Affiliations

T.J. Michailides is Plant Pathologist, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis, located at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, Parlier. The authors are grateful for funding from the California Apple Commission, California Kiwifruit Commission, California Pistachio Commission, California Dried Plum Board, California Tree Fruit Agreement, California Table Grape Commission, California Fig Institute, U.S. Department of Agriculture (award no. 2002–51100-01990), UC Specialty Crop Research Program (project no. SA6677) and Biotechnology (BioSTAR)(Bio99–10054 and Bio99–10054F2 grants). The authors thank Eric Boehm, Barry Pryor, Rebbekah Morgan, Kevin Tsuda and Kevin Robertson for technical assistance. The protocols for methods described in this article are available upon request; D.P. Morgan is Staff Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis, located at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, Parlier. The authors are grateful for funding from the California Apple Commission, California Kiwifruit Commission, California Pistachio Commission, California Dried Plum Board, California Tree Fruit Agreement, California Table Grape Commission, California Fig Institute, U.S. Department of Agriculture (award no. 2002–51100-01990), UC Specialty Crop Research Program (project no. SA6677) and Biotechnology (BioSTAR)(Bio99–10054 and Bio99–10054F2 grants). The authors thank Eric Boehm, Barry Pryor, Rebbekah Morgan, Kevin Tsuda and Kevin Robertson for technical assistance. The protocols for methods described in this article are available upon request; Z. Ma is Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis, located at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, Parlier. The authors are grateful for funding from the California Apple Commission, California Kiwifruit Commission, California Pistachio Commission, California Dried Plum Board, California Tree Fruit Agreement, California Table Grape Commission, California Fig Institute, U.S. Department of Agriculture (award no. 2002–51100-01990), UC Specialty Crop Research Program (project no. SA6677) and Biotechnology (BioSTAR)(Bio99–10054 and Bio99–10054F2 grants). The authors thank Eric Boehm, Barry Pryor, Rebbekah Morgan, Kevin Tsuda and Kevin Robertson for technical assistance. The protocols for methods described in this article are available upon request; Y. Luo is Associate Project Scientist, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis, located at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, Parlier. The authors are grateful for funding from the California Apple Commission, California Kiwifruit Commission, California Pistachio Commission, California Dried Plum Board, California Tree Fruit Agreement, California Table Grape Commission, California Fig Institute, U.S. Department of Agriculture (award no. 2002–51100-01990), UC Specialty Crop Research Program (project no. SA6677) and Biotechnology (BioSTAR)(Bio99–10054 and Bio99–10054F2 grants). The authors thank Eric Boehm, Barry Pryor, Rebbekah Morgan, Kevin Tsuda and Kevin Robertson for technical assistance. The protocols for methods described in this article are available upon request; D. Felts is Laboratory Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis, located at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, Parlier. The authors are grateful for funding from the California Apple Commission, California Kiwifruit Commission, California Pistachio Commission, California Dried Plum Board, California Tree Fruit Agreement, California Table Grape Commission, California Fig Institute, U.S. Department of Agriculture (award no. 2002–51100-01990), UC Specialty Crop Research Program (project no. SA6677) and Biotechnology (BioSTAR)(Bio99–10054 and Bio99–10054F2 grants). The authors thank Eric Boehm, Barry Pryor, Rebbekah Morgan, Kevin Tsuda and Kevin Robertson for technical assistance. The protocols for methods described in this article are available upon request; M.A. Doster is Staff Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis, located at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, Parlier. The authors are grateful for funding from the California Apple Commission, California Kiwifruit Commission, California Pistachio Commission, California Dried Plum Board, California Tree Fruit Agreement, California Table Grape Commission, California Fig Institute, U.S. Department of Agriculture (award no. 2002–51100-01990), UC Specialty Crop Research Program (project no. SA6677) and Biotechnology (BioSTAR)(Bio99–10054 and Bio99–10054F2 grants). The authors thank Eric Boehm, Barry Pryor, Rebbekah Morgan, Kevin Tsuda and Kevin Robertson for technical assistance. The protocols for methods described in this article are available upon request; H. Reyes is Laboratory Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis, located at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, Parlier. The authors are grateful for funding from the California Apple Commission, California Kiwifruit Commission, California Pistachio Commission, California Dried Plum Board, California Tree Fruit Agreement, California Table Grape Commission, California Fig Institute, U.S. Department of Agriculture (award no. 2002–51100-01990), UC Specialty Crop Research Program (project no. SA6677) and Biotechnology (BioSTAR)(Bio99–10054 and Bio99–10054F2 grants). The authors thank Eric Boehm, Barry Pryor, Rebbekah Morgan, Kevin Tsuda and Kevin Robertson for technical assistance. The protocols for methods described in this article are available upon request.

Publication Information

Hilgardia 59(2):115-123. DOI:10.3733/ca.v059n02p115. April 2005.

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Abstract

For the past decade, we have been developing techniques for monitoring pre- and postharvest diseases of tree fruit, nuts and vines at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center (KREC). We have also advanced new methods to monitor pathogen resistance to fungicides, which growers can now use to make decisions on disease management. Although accurate, the conventional techniques are time-consuming and only provide results after 5 to 21 days. Molecular methods offer the possibility of faster, more reliable and efficient tests. We have developed such methods to monitor, diagnose and quantify crop pathogens. We have also used these new molecular techniques to answer complex questions on the biology of tree fruit and nut pathogens, the origin of their inoculum sources, changes in their population structures and the epidemiology of the diseases they cause. We are now working on molecular techniques that could supplement the conventional ones we have developed for vine diseases. Private diagnostic laboratories have been using a number of these conventional techniques and plan to adopt some of the molecular ones in the near future.