Annual progress report - Cost 873

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Monitoring Progress Report – 2009 COST 873 – Bacterial Diseases of Stone Fruits and Nuts _________________________________________________________________________________ A BAN fact-sheet draft has been prepared and further research efforts are underway to obtain a disease description suitable for all differing parties. The results from this COST873 STF are being prepared for a joint publication in 2010. The efforts on BAN and Walnut Blight forecasting have been successfully integrated with field trials having been conducted in France, Spain and Austria. Data was presented at the annual meeting and will continue to be coordinated in 2010. A second STF is working with the CoP to develop a walnut disease forecasting model and integrating this into walnut production systems. The aim is to integrate control options into the model as well, and SME industries (biocontrol/chemical, grower cooperatives) are included in this STF. Field research to collect essential epidemiological data has begun in FR and IT with input from CH and AT. A large French-Spanish project was funded in cooperation with industry in 2008 to work on a walnut blight forecasting model. In 2009, an important addition to our efforts was the recruitment of K. Evans from Australia, and the formal membership into COST873. She will join COST873 field studies in Europe through an STSM in Summer 2010. A third STF has begun to work on developing a disease forecasting model for Xap on stone fruits, and multi-national surveys have begun to ascertain the distribution of this pathogen outside of ES and IT where it is currently thought to be limited. Strains collected are being genotyped to assist in determining spread. National surveys for the presence of regulated pathogens (e.g., A2 List Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni), prevalence and damage from other bacteria (e.g., Brennaria, Pseudomonas, Erwinia, Agrobacterium) and a survey to verify an isolated 1 st -in-Europe report from Kosovo of the A1 List Xylella fastidiosa were conducted in most countries of COST873 by or in consultation with COST873 experts. Surveys in Serbia, have involved 2 programs 2008-2009 aimed to check quarantine status of X.a. pruni and P.s. persicae respectively financed by National Plant Protection Directorate. As a result these two pathogens will remain on national A1 list of quarantine pathogens in 2009. Most of these survey activities were the direct result of efforts from WG2, and would not necessarily have been conducted without COST873 involvement. Surveys in Greece, surveys have resulted in the preparation of an overview of bacterial pathogens affecting stone fruits and nut crops and their geographical distribution (maps). These are being enriched based on diagnostic records from Benaki Phytopathological Institute. Stone fruits orchards and nurseries as well as walnut and hazelnut orchards were monitored. Extensive surveys in Poland in 2008-2009 were conducted for bacterial canker of stone fruit trees. Isolates of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae and pv. morsprunorum were characterized phenotypically (LOPAT and GATTa tests) and genetically (REP-PCRs, detection of genes coding for toxins) in COST873 STSMs. Nurseries of stone fruit trees were checked for the presence of crown gall and hairy root. Over 200 Agrobacterium sp. isolates were characterized phenotypically (biochemical features and pathogenicity) and genetically (RAPD, pTi possessing) in COST873 STSMs. Symptoms of bacterial blight on walnuts and hazelnuts were observed and the first reports of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. corylina on hazelnut and Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis on walnut in Poland were confirmed. 16
Monitoring Progress Report – 2009 COST 873 – Bacterial Diseases of Stone Fruits and Nuts _________________________________________________________________________________ STFs were established that focus on key stone fruit diseases, specifically those caused by Pseudomonas, which has accomplished a major goal for COST873. This successfully integrates the two major areas of focus in COST873 – nuts and stone fruits. Planned activities 2010: Publish a definitive description of BAN on walnut. Use the COST873 fact-sheet catalogue in more coordinated multinational pathogen/disease surveys. Develop forecasting models based on field data for walnut blight and bacterial spot of stone fruit. II.A.d. Working Group 3: Host Resistance and Breeding This WG‟s aims are to develop markers that can be applied for Smart-Breeding, screen current germplasm resources for disease resistance, and breed commercially-acceptable disease resistant varieties of stone fruits and nuts. Currently, the main focus based on participant initiatives is walnut. Successful efforts were made in 2007-2009 to stimulate similar initiatives with stone fruits, such as apricot/plum and to work on stone fruit pathogens, particularly Pseudomonas. One STF was established to identify and validate biochemical markers for resistance, particularly in walnut. This STF was focused just on polyphenol variations among varieties, and with new biochemistry-specialist members from Germany and Austria, the scope of this activity will be greatly expanded. This represents a major link between COST873 and expertise from COST864. A second STF was established to focus on heritage variety resistance to walnut blight and conduct large surveys. Such national surveys have been conducted in 2007-2009 (e.g., walnut resources and resistance across Spain). Methods to propagate plant material and efficiently screen for disease resistance have been developed by the Spanish participants and this technology is being transferred to other STF participating countries. A Training Course was held in 2009. A 2010 goal of this STF is to catalogue European varieties as a long-term resource for breeding and growers. A meeting with FAO/IPGIR and another devoted to developing a germplasm database of stone fruit-nut trees are planned for Romania in 2010. Harmonized protocols were published on www.cost873.ch for screening walnut germplasm varieties for walnut blight resistance across the COST873 countries. An STF was established to produce host genetic maps for COST873 key crops (walnut, apricot, almond) that can be applied for development of Smart-breeding tools (= Marker Assisted Selection, QTLs). Leading molecular breeding laboratories in France, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, Spain and Italy have begun collaboration on these efforts, and a meeting will be held in February 2010. This meeting will recruit international genome experts for COST873 research cooperation. This is aimed at enhancing COST873 resistance breeding efforts and linking pathogen-plant genomics. A Swiss research grant was funded with partners in other COST873 countries to develop disease resistance QTL markers in apricot. 17
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Annual progress report - Cost 873

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