Detalle de: Developing Enabling Technologies for Improved Plant Health using Nuclear Techniques - Addressing Transboundary Diseases

Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs) is one of the most destructive bacterial pathogens affecting solanaceous crops worldwide. Disease outbreaks are driven by high pathogen diversity, the circulation of locally adapted strains, limited understanding of early and latent infection mechanisms, and the lack of resistance sources in both tomato and potato that can be effectively incorporated into breeding programs. Additionally, the RSSC exhibits high genetic diversity, a broad host range, and remarkable adaptive capacity (Genin & Denny, 2012). The proposed research has three complementary objectives: (i) to develop and implement high throughput phenotyping platforms for the quantitative evaluation of bacterial wilt disease progression in tomato and potato caused by R. solanacearum; (ii) to identify and characterize resistance sources against R. solanacearum through the evaluation of tomato and potato germplasm collections, including cultivated varieties and wild relatives; and (iii) to isolate, evaluate and validate beneficial microorganisms isolated from tomato and potato landraces and wild relatives with biocontrol potential for the sustainable management of bacterial wilt disease in tomato and potato. Research activities associated to potato crop will be carried out in collaboration with the Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research (AGROSAVIA), Colombia, and Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (UNALM), Peru.