Early Detection

Kendra Baumgartner
Our goal is to develop a new method to detect trunk diseases by sampling asymptomatic leaves. We revealed a unique set of grape genes expressed in asymptomatic leaves in the early phase of infection, using Botryosphaeria dieback pathogen Neofusicoccum parvum as a model to study host responses to a trunk pathogen.  Tests are in progress to confirm specificity of these grape genes to Neofusicoccum infection, in inoculations with other trunk pathogens, common foliar pathogens, and to rule out possible interactions with drought stress.
Link to presentation:Early Detection