Phytopathologist will study new strain of Xylella in the blueberry
A plant pathologist at the Tifton campus of the University of Georgia (UGA) is using a scholarship to study a bacterial disease that affects blueberry crops. According to a story from the UGA School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), UGA-Tifton Assistant Professor Jonathan Oliver says that the $ 7,000 grant from the Georgia Farm Bureau will fund its studies of a new strain of the pathogen bacterial Xylella fastidiosa. While the subsidy supports blueberry research, the pathogen can also affect other crops, such as grapes, peaches and nuts, as well as oaks and elms.
The pathogen obstructs the xylem, or the plant's conductive tissue, which is essential for the transport of water and nutrients. As a result, the infected crop will often show symptoms such as burns or leaf drying, which can be confused with drought damage. Oliver said his study on the burning of bacterial leaves in blueberries led him to discover this new strain of the pathogen.
The grant will allow him and other researchers to assess how widespread the new strain of Xylella, how severe it is compared to the known strain and how to determine management options. Greenhouses are being tested to demonstrate the likelihood of the pathogen infecting different varieties of blueberries.
Oliver said, "We hope that through the relatively small studies we've been able to do on this pathogen, we can better understand the threats to blueberry production in the Southeast."
To read more about research conducted in the Department of Phytopathology of the UGA visit: plantpath.caes.uga.edu
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