Grant Information

ALTERNATIVE HOSTS OF HLB TO ASSIST IN DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Sponsoring Institution Agricultural Research Service/USDA
Status ACTIVE
Funding Source USDA INHOUSE
Reporting Frequency Annual
Project Director DAMSTEEGT V D
Accession Number 420371
Project Number 8044-22000-034-12R
Dates 2010-04-01 - 2011-03-31
Recipient Organization AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

FT DETRICK,MD 21701
Keywords citrus
greening
host
huanglongbing
range
Research Effort Applied (30%)
Basic (60%)
Developmental (10%)
Classification Parameters
Knowledge AreaSubject of InvestigationField of SciencePercent
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants 1114 - Peach 1101 - Virology 20%
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants 1116 - Plum 1101 - Virology 20%
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants 1112 - Cherry 1101 - Virology 10%
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants 1310 - Potato 1101 - Virology 10%
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants 1419 - Leguminous vegetables, general/other 1101 - Virology 10%
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants 1820 - Soybean 1101 - Virology 10%
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants 920 - Orange 1101 - Virology 10%
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants 999 - Citrus, general/other 1101 - Virology 10%
Goals / Objectives
Identify alternative hosts for HLB, focusing on likely reservoirs in Florida, and determinethe effects that alternative hosts play on the biology of the pathogen.
Methods (unparsed)

Ten to twenty potential rutaceous alternative hosts will be inoculated by psyllid andgrafting (when possible). Infected plants will be identified by PCR, and used as a sourcefor back inoculations to sweet orange. A limited subset will be tested for effects on thepathogen and the vector, with an emphasis on pathogenicity and transmissioncharacteristics.

Methods
Ten to twenty potential rutaceous alternative hosts will be inoculated by psyllid andgrafting (when possible). Infected plants will be identified by PCR, and used as a sourcefor back inoculations to sweet orange. A limited subset will be tested for effects on thepathogen and the vector, with an emphasis on pathogenicity and transmissioncharacteristics.
Project Timeline Tracking

Outputs

This is the final report. The objective of this project was to investigate the susceptibility of Citrus related hosts of Huanglongbing, especially for Candidatus Liberibacter africanus (Laf) and Ca. L. americanus (Lam). Isolates of Laf and Lam were maintained in sweet orange plants and colonies of the Asian citrus psyllid were maintained in our BSL 3 biosecurity facility. Test plants were supplied from the University of Florida. All test plants were assayed before their use in host range studies. Host range studies were completed on four species, Murraya paniculata, M. exotica, Bergera koenegii, and Xanthozylum beechyanum with Ca. L. asiaticus (Las) and are being conducted with Laf and Lam. Additional plant species will be tested as we obtain them. Knowledge of alternative hosts for HLB and the psyllid vector are important in developing control strategies for this destructive disease.