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Research Project: Epidemiology and Management of Xylella Fastidiosa (Xf) and Other Exotic and Invasive Diseases and Insect Pests

Location: Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics

Title: Wintercuring of Prunus dulcis cv `Butte,¿ P. webbii and their interspecific hybrid in response to Xylella fastidiosa infections

Authors
item Ledbetter, Craig
item Chen, Jianchi
item Livingston, Sam - UC DAVIS
item Groves, Russell - UNIV WISCONSIN, MADISON

Submitted to: Euphytica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: April 26, 2009
Publication Date: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Almond is a widely grown tree nut in California¿s central valley and is consistently among the top California exports in terms of tonnage and product value. Almond trees are affected by a bacterial disease called Almond Leaf Scorch that reduce tree vigor and almond yields. Some almond varieties are more severely affected by Almond Leaf Scorch, however, the variety Butte seems to tolerate the disease much better than most. Through conventional plant breeding with a wild almond relative, we developed a Butte-P. webbii hybrid that was better at overcoming Almond Leaf Scorch as compared with Butte. The Butte-P. webbii hybrid has edible almonds that are similar to Butte in color and kernel shape. This hybrid is significant because it demonstrates that through breeding efforts, an Almond Leaf Scorch resistant almond variety can be achieved. Almond Leaf Scorch has been a re-occurring problem throughout California for at least the last 50 years. The development of almond varieties resistant to this vascular disease will be an economic benefit for the California almond industry.

Technical Abstract: Clonal replicates of Prunus dulcis cv `Butte,¿ P. webbii and their interspecific hybrid P 63-61 were inoculated with Xylella fastidiosa strain M23 and evaluated for Almond Leaf Scorch Disease and subsequent wintercuring of infections during three growing seasons. Initial inoculations established greater than 90 % infection in each of the accessions, based on PCR diagnoses from petiole tissues sampled near the inoculation site. Classic leaf scorch symptoms were evident in each population during the first growing season in a controlled greenhouse environment. Trees were removed from the greenhouse during the winters to accumulate chill hours and to provide the possibility of wintercuring X. fastidiosa infections. Both PCR diagnostics and in vitro cultivation were used during the second and third growing seasons to determine the persistence of X. fastidiosa in clones among the three populations. Tree survival and the degree of wintercured infections differed among the three populations, with P. webbii and P 63-61 demonstrating enhanced levels of survivorship over `Butte.¿ After two cycles of ambient winter temperatures and subsequent growth, `Butte¿ averaged 21.2% wintercured trees with 73.1% mean survival. Tree survival and wintercured infections were nearly 100% for both P. webbii and P 63-61, demonstrating the utility of P. webbii in almond breeding efforts aimed at reducing tree vulnerability to X. fastidiosa infections.

   

 
Project Team
Stenger, Drake
Krugner, Rodrigo
Rogers, Elizabeth
Sisterson, Mark
Ledbetter, Craig
Chen, Jianchi
Backus, Elaine
Ramming, David
Lin, Hong
 
Publications
   Publications
 
Related National Programs
  Plant Diseases (303)
 
Related Projects
   Developing Transcriptional Profiles and Microarray Expression and Analysis of Grape Plant Responses to Xylella Fastidiosa
   Identification and Detection of Xylella Fastidiosa Strains by Pcr-Microarray
   Grape Metabolomic Profiles and Natural Defenses Against Biotic Stress
   Assessing the Potential of Forage Alfalfa Crops to Serve As Xylella Fastidiosa, Primary Inoculum Sources in the San Joaquin Valley
   Assessing Alfalfa As An Inoculum Source of Xylella Fastidiosa
   Genetic Diversity and Fingerprinting of Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus Strains
   Breeding Pierce¿s Disease Resistant Table and Raisin Grapes and the Development of Markers from Seus Sources of Resistance
   Development of Ssr Markers for Genetic Diversity Assessment of Candidatus Liberibacter Strains in Florida
 
 
Last Modified: 05/09/2009
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