Project Number: 1920-22000-036-04
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Sep 01, 2007
End Date: Feb 28, 2010

Objective:
The cooperative agreement will provide a valuable set of Phytophthora ramorum-infected plant material that will be delivered to the CPHST NPGBL that will then be lyophilized for the development of a plant tissue-based proficiency test panel for distribution by the NPGBL to laboratories accredited by the CPHST NPPLAP that wish to be certified to perform Phytophthora ramorum molecular diagnostics.

Approach:
We will use the methods developed by investigators at the University of California, Berkeley to perform inoculations of Camellia and Rhododendron plant materials with Phytophthora ramorum under conditions optimized for infection. All inoculations will be done inside the FDWSRU plant Pathogen Greenhouse Containment Facility. We will surface disinfect and ship infected plant materials under APHIS PPQ permit to the NPGBL for creation of a mock panel for diagnostics proficiency testing.