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This project is still in progress, but aims to provide critical genetics and genomics knowledge on verticillium stripe by collecting and characterizing different V. longisporum isolates prevalent in the Prairies, evaluating pathogenicity and determining the genetic diversity, population structure and sequence variations of the isolates, as well as developing a KASP marker for V. longisporum population prevalence characterization in Canada.
Project Summary
Verticillium longisporum, a soil-borne fungal pathogen, poses a significant threat to canola production in the Canadian Prairies. This fungal organism invades canola plants through the roots and establishes itself within the vascular system, resulting in the development of verticillium stripe disease.
Since its initial detection in Canada in 2014, V. longisporum has now been identified in various provinces including Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec (Zou et al. 2020). The wide geographic distribution of this pathogen highlights its potential to adversely impact canola crops across multiple regions. Besides seeking genetic resistance from host plants, understanding of disease epidemics, genomics, genetics, and disease progression in host plants is also extremely important to develop management strategies for growers and the canola industry.
The specific objectives of this project are to:
1) collect and characterize different V. longisporum isolates prevalent in the Prairies.
2) evaluate pathogenicity of collected isolates on popularly used canola varieties in Canada.
3) determine the genetic diversity, population structure, sequence variations of the collected isolates.
4) develop KASP marker for V. longisporum population prevalence characterization in Canada.
The outcomes of this research can benefit the whole seed industry, growers, and canola trade organizations by providing critical genetics and genomics knowledge on this newly emerged verticillium stripe disease, and an immense economic contribution to the Canadian economy.
