Chemical management strategies for halo blight of hop and in vitro sensitivity of populations to various fungicide classes.

Halo blight of hop, caused by Diaporthe humulicola, has increased in eastern North America since 2018. When left untreated, the disease can cause yield loss ranging from 17-56%. Currently, there are no fungicides registered for use on halo blight of hop.

Managing fruit rot diseases of .

Blueberry is an important perennial fruit crop with expanding consumption and production worldwide. Consumer demand for blueberries has grown due to the desirable flavor and numerous health benefits, and fresh market production in the U.S.

Fungicide resistance in and identification of species associated with blueberry in Michigan.

Botrytis blossom blight and fruit rot, caused by , is a significant threat to blueberries, potentially resulting in substantial economic losses if not effectively managed. Despite the recommendation of various cultural and chemical practices to control this pathogen, there are widespread reports of fungicide resistance, leading to decreased efficacy. This study aimed to characterize the resistance profile of isolated from blighted blossoms and fruit in 2019, 2020 and 2022 ( = 131, 40, and 37 for the respective years).

Detection of in Air Samples by Quantitative PCR.

Detection and quantification of pathogen propagules in the air or other environmental samples is facilitated by culture-independent assays. We developed a quantitative PCR assay for the hop powdery mildew fungus, , for detection of the organism from air samples. The assay uses primers and a TaqMan probe designed to target species-specific sequences in the 28S large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA.

It's a Trap! Part II: An Approachable Guide to Constructing and Using Rotating-Arm Air Samplers.

An increasing number of researchers are looking to understand the factors affecting microbial dispersion but are often limited by the costs of commercially available air samplers. Some have reduced these costs by designing self-made versions; however, there are no published sampler designs, and there is limited information provided on the actual construction process. Lack of appropriate reference material limits the use of these self-made samplers by many researchers.

It's a Trap! Part I: Exploring the Applications of Rotating-Arm Impaction Samplers in Plant Pathology.

Although improved knowledge on the movement of airborne plant pathogens is likely to benefit plant health management, generating this knowledge is often far more complicated than anticipated. This complexity is driven by the dynamic nature of environmental variables, diversity among pathosystems that are targeted, and the unique needs of each research group. When using a rotating-arm impaction sampler, particle collection is dependent on the pathogen, environment, research objectives, and limitations (monetary, environmental, or labor).

Uncovering genetic and metabolite markers associated with resistance against anthracnose fruit rot in northern highbush blueberry.

Anthracnose fruit rot (AFR), caused by the fungal pathogen is among the most destructive and widespread fruit disease of blueberry, impacting both yield and overall fruit quality. Blueberry cultivars have highly variable resistance against AFR. To date, this pathogen is largely controlled by applying various fungicides; thus, a more cost-effective and environmentally conscious solution for AFR is needed.

Structure-Guided Design and Synthesis of a Pyridazinone Series of Proteasome Inhibitors.

There is an urgent need for new treatments for Chagas disease, a parasitic infection which mostly impacts South and Central America. We previously reported on the discovery of GSK3494245/DDD01305143, a preclinical candidate for visceral leishmaniasis which acted through inhibition of the proteasome. A related analogue, active against , showed suboptimal efficacy in an animal model of Chagas disease, so alternative proteasome inhibitors were investigated.

Fungicide Use Patterns in Select United States Wine Grape Production Regions.

Wine grape production ( sp.) in the United States requires fungicide inputs for disease control. Currently, there is limited data available on vineyard fungicide use patterns.

First Report of Infecting Hop () in Michigan.

In July of 2020, a hop (Humulus lupulus L.) grower in Berrien County, Michigan submitted 'Chinook' leaf samples to MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics. The leaves were covered in small, tan colored lesions, with a small chlorotic halo with an approximate diameter of 5 mm.

First report of stem blight caused by on highbush blueberry () in Michigan.

The U.S. is the world's leading producer of highbush blueberries ( L.

A Rapid Glove-Based Inoculum Sampling Technique to Monitor in Commercial Vineyards.

Information on the presence and severity of grape powdery mildew (GPM), caused by , has long been used to guide management decisions. While recent advances in the available molecular diagnostic assays and particle samplers have made monitoring easier, there is still a need for more efficient field collection of . The use of vineyard worker gloves worn during canopy manipulation as a sampler (glove swab) of was compared with samples identified by visual assessment with subsequent molecular confirmation (leaf swabs) and airborne spore samples collected by rotating-arm impaction traps (impaction traps).

Development of a PNA-LNA-LAMP Assay to Detect an SNP Associated with QoI Resistance in .

The repetitive use of quinone outside inhibitor fungicides (QoIs, strobilurins; Fungicide Resistance Action Committee [FRAC] 11) to manage grape powdery mildew has led to development of resistance in . While several point mutations in the mitochondrial cytochrome gene are associated with resistance to QoI fungicides, the substitution of glycine to alanine at codon 143 (G143A) has been the only mutation observed in QoI-resistant field populations. Allele-specific detection methods such as digital droplet PCR and TaqMan probe-based assays can be used to detect the G143A mutation.

First report of halo blight on hop (Humulus lupulus) caused by Diaporthe humulicola in Minnesota.

Halo blight, caused by Diaporthe humulicola, is an emerging issue in hop production in the Upper Midwestern and Eastern North America. Reports of halo blight thus far have included Connecticut, Michigan, New York, and Quebec (Allan-Perkins et al.; Hatlen et al.

First report of Neofusicoccum ribis causing stem blight and dieback of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) in Michigan.

In July 2020, a 3-year-old 'Envoy' northern highbush blueberry bush (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) from a commercial farm in Van Buren County, Michigan was submitted to the Plant & Pest Diagnostics laboratory at Michigan State University. Field disease assessments across the 2-acre planting were an incidence of 2-5% and a severity of 50-100%.

Multimodal imaging of capsid and cargo reveals differential brain targeting and liver detargeting of systemically-administered AAVs.

The development of gene delivery vehicles with high organ specificity when administered systemically is a critical goal for gene therapy. We combine optical and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of 1) reporter genes and 2) capsid tags to assess the temporal and spatial distribution and transduction of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). AAV9 and two engineered AAV vectors (PHP.

Optimizing Molecular Detection for the Hop Downy Mildew Pathogen in Plant Tissue.

Downy mildew-free hop plantlets and rhizomes are essential to limit the introduction of this destructive pathogen, , into hopyards. The objective of this research was to determine which DNA-based diagnostic tools are optimal for detection in plant tissue. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays with TaqMan probes for nuclear () and mitochondrial () DNA loci were developed and tested side by side.

Adeno-Associated Virus Toolkit to Target Diverse Brain Cells.

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are commonly used gene delivery vehicles for neuroscience research. They have two engineerable features: the capsid (outer protein shell) and cargo (encapsulated genome). These features can be modified to enhance cell type or tissue tropism and control transgene expression, respectively.

Rotting Grapes Don't Improve with Age: Cluster Rot Disease Complexes, Management, and Future Prospects.

Cluster rots can be devastating to grape production around the world. There are several late-season rots that can affect grape berries, including Botrytis bunch rot, sour rot, black rot, Phomopsis fruit rot, bitter rot, and ripe rot. Tight-clustered varieties such as 'Pinot gris', 'Pinot noir', and 'Vignoles' are particularly susceptible to cluster rots.

Identification of Putative SDHI Target Site Mutations in the SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD Subunits of the Grape Powdery Mildew Pathogen .

Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) are fungicides used in control of numerous fungal plant pathogens, including , the causal agent of grapevine powdery mildew (GPM). Here, the , , and genes of were screened for mutations that may be associated with SDHI resistance. GPM samples were collected from 2017 to 2020 from the U.