Progress 05/15/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Undergraduates reached in the following courses through demonstration, lecture or independent study INCO 790 independent study - 1 student INCO 590 research experience - 3 students BIOL 510 Mushrooms, Molds, and Mildews: Introduction to the Fungal Kingdom- 45 students BIOL 704/804 - Plant-Microbe Interactions 20 students SAFS 405 Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production guest lecture (80 students) Commercial growers, extension specialists and industry representatives reached Floriculture Research Alliance meeting in October 2017. Approximately 80 participants. 2017 UCONN Greenhouse vegetable hydroponic workshop - approximately 30 participants 2018 Tri-State IPM workshop (Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire) - approximately 100 participants reached 2018 New Hampshire Fruit Growers Association annual meeting - approximately 30 participants 2018 New England Vegetable and Berry Growers meeting - approximately 40 participants 2018 New England Giant Pumpkin Growers meeting - approximately 15 participants Graduate students, undergraduate students, and scientists reached Invited seminar at the UMASS Stockbridge School of Agriculture Invited seminar, UNH Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition UNH graduate research conference Changes/Problems:As a new faculty member, starting in January of 2017, a significant portion of time was devoted to setting up lab and greenhouse workspaces. One challenge encountered was that I did not have full access to lab and greenhouse space until July 2017. These delays resulted in overall project delay impacting our ability to complete objective 2 (pre-commercial research trials). To compensate for the facility delays, we decided to shift our focus to objectives less dependent on facilities. For example, as the project progressed, we decided to devote more time to evaluating the effect of substrate and cultivar. We decided to include additional crop species to determine is differences observed were across crop species. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provided opportunities for professional development in the areas of undergraduate and graduate one-on-one mentorship, conferences, workshops, and courses. One-on-one mentorship: Four undergraduate students were trained in a one-on-one setting as an independent study project thought the UNH Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research (INCO 790 and INCO 590). The students learned basic principles of plant pathology and experimental design. The students also gained laboratory and greenhouse skills related to culturing fungi in the lab, preparation of growth media, growing and maintaining plants in the greenhouse, collecting and analyzing data. Results of one student's project were presented to an audience of 80 growers, extension specialists and substrate producers at the floriculture Research Alliance greenhouse tour at UNH on October 18, 2017. One Masters level graduate student was trained whose thesis topic was directly related to the project. The student conducted experiments to evaluate the effect of cultivar and substrate on biocontrol efficacy. Through this research, the student gained skills related to experimental design, data analysis, fungal and bacterial culture, microscopy, and plant production. The student also presented their work at an international scientific conference. The provided the student to interact with scientists from across the globe and establish new networks for research. Conferences: Poster presentation at the 2018 International Congress of Plant Pathology held in Boston, MA in August 2018. Courses: Research incorporated into twocourses; Biol 510 Mushrooms, molds and mildews (taught twice in the reporting period) and Biol 704/804 Plant-microbe interactions (taught once in the reporting period). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Outreach presentations were delivered at state and regional grower meetings to disseminate research-based information to growers and industry representatives. Presentations were given to greenhouse grower, fruit and vegetable, and tree fruit grower groups. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The challenge for sustainable agriculture is to develop economically viable alternatives to traditional pesticides. One strategy is to harness the power of naturally occurring antagonistic microbes as biopesticides, to reduce crop loss from disease. Inconsistent field performance of biopesticides however, has been a barrier to uptake. A greater understanding of how different agricultural practices influence biopesticide efficacy will allow for site-specific best-practices for extension specialists and growers to improve performance. This expanded tool-kit of management practices will increase productivity and sustainability of our agricultural production systems. Objective 1: To understand how microbial populations and microbial gene expression are regulated by the biological (plants and microbes) and physical environment and how they influence disease: 1.1 Develop a model system to study the effects of cultivar on biocontrol efficacy: During the first 6 months of the project, activities focused on developing a model system to study the effect of cultivar and substrate on biopesticide efficacy. Four isolates of Pythium species were obtained from collaborators and recovered from diseased plant material submitted to the UNH diagnostic clinic. These pathogen isolates were screened in greenhouse experiments for pathogenicity on tomato, cucumber, strawberry, petunia and calibrachoa. Protocols for plant production, pathogen dose, pathogen inoculation method, disease evaluation, and plant growth assessments were also developed. Modifications to the greenhouse are currently underway to construct a system that will mimic commercial substrate-based hydroponic production. A gutter system will be installed in greenhouse 5A at the MacFarlane Greenhouse facility on the UNH campus. Fertilization tanks and water-powered dosing systems will be installed to allow for atwo-component hydroponic fertilizer (A/B )fertilizer program in our experimental system. 1.2 Evaluate selected cultivars for differential biocontrol efficacy: Tomato and cucumber cultivars selected for susceptibility and ease of production in objective 1.1 were evaluated for differential biocontrol activity. Cultivars received one of three treatments; water, fungal-BCA (BioControl Agent) or bacterial-BCA. Each cultivar-BCA combination was infested with a zoospore suspension of Pythium aphanidermatum. At the end of the experiment, plant roots were assessed for root rot severity and root growth. Roots were sampled and plated on selective media to confirm the presence of Pythium. Plant roots in non-infested treatments were sampled to assess colonization of the biocontrol agents using culture-based methods and selective media. Above-ground biomass was assessed as fresh weight and dry weight. The experiments were conducted twice. These data are currently being analyzed for publication in a MS thesis and a peer-reviewed journal. Preliminary analyses suggest a significant effect of cultivar on plant growth promotion by the fungal biocontrol agent (Trichoderma harzianum) and then bacterial biocontrol agent (Bacillus subtilis). 1.3 Evaluate the effect of growing substrates on biocontrol efficacy: The effect of the substrate was tested on three crops; cucumber, calibrachoa, and petunia using the methods developed in objective 1.1. Experiments conducted on each crop were repeated twice. Each experiment consisted of a 4 x 3 factorial with 3 substrates and 4 biological control agents. The 3 substrates included oasis foam, peat moss, and coconut coir. The 4 biocontrol agents included Rootshield WP (Trichoderma harzianum T-22), Cease (Bacillus subtilis QST-713), Regalia (extract from Reynoutria sachalinensis), and a water control. Five replicate plants were infested with P. aphanidermatum zoospores and five replicate plants received water (to serve as healthy controls). Data analyses indicate that substrate had an effect (P<0.005) on Pythium root disease severity and biopesticide efficacy on cucumber and calibrachoa. Differenceswere not observed on petunia. Overall, there was less disease observed on plants propagated in Oasis and peat, but greater disease suppression was observed in coco coir. Plant health/growth was not significantly different between plants treated with products compared to water indicating that these products can be applied in propagation. This was an important finding as many growers report hesitation to use products in propagation due to concerns over phytotoxicity. These data were presented at the International Congress of Plant Pathology in August 2018 and are currently being written for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and a master's thesis. Objective 2: Implement sustainable management strategies for soilborne pathogens that are biologically based and are compatible with soil health management practices: Research conducted in objective 1 was reported to the biocontrol company partners and results communicated to growers. Additional grower communications are scheduled for the 2018-2019 winter meetings (i.e. the 2019 Tri-State Workshop). Biocontrol-substrate combinations yielding the greatest efficacy in objective 1 will be tested in experiments scheduled to begin in January of 2019.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
DeGenring, L., Poleatewich, A. 2018. Effect of cultivar on biocontrol efficacy of Pythium in hydroponic tomato system. Phytopathology. 108 (10S)
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Progress 05/15/17 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Undergraduates reached in the following courses through demonstration, lecture or independent study 1. Summer volunteer student Changes/Problems:As a new faculty member, starting in January of 2017, a significant portion of time was devoted to setting up lab and greenhouse workspaces. One challenge encountered was that I did not have full access tolab and greenhouse space until July 2017. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?An undergraduate student was trained over the summer in a one-on-one setting as an independent study project. The student learned basic principles of plant pathology and experimental design. The student also gained laboratory and greenhouse skills related to culturing fungi in the lab, preparation of growth media, growing and maintaining plants in the greenhouse, collecting and analyzing data. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Plans for the next reporting period are described by objective below. Objective 1.1: Develop a model system to study the effects of cultivar on biocontrol efficacy. This objective was 80% completed during the current reporting period. Experiments to screen tomato cultivars for disease susceptibility will be completed January 2018. The strawberry and tomato experiments conducted in 2017 will be repeated in the next reporting period. Additional Pythium isolates will be collected so that cultivars can be screened against a diversity of isolates which vary in virulence. Modifications will also be made to the greenhouse. A second pre-commercial facility will be constructed to mimic commercial substrate-based hydroponic production. A gutter system will be installed in greenhouse 5A at the MacFarlane Greenhouse facility on the UNH campus. Fertilization tanks and dosatrons, water-powereddosing systems, will be installed to allow for an A/B fertilizer program in our experimental system. Objective 1.2 Evaluate selected cultivars for differential biocontrol efficacy Cultivars selected for susceptibility and ease of production in objective 1.1 will be evaluated for differential biocontrol activity. Cultivars will receive one of three treatments; water, fungal-BCA (BioControl Agent) or bacterial-BCA. Each cultivar-BCA combination will be challenged with Pythium and at the end of the experiment, plant roots will be assessed for root rot severity. Roots will be sampled and plated on selective media to confirm the presence of Pythium. Plant roots in non-infested treatments will be sampled to assess colonization of the biocontrol agents on the roots using culture-based methods and selective media. Above-ground biomass will be assessed as fresh weight and dry weight. Objective 1.3 Evaluate the effect of growing substrates on biocontrol efficacy The effect of substrate will be investigated using the system developed in objective 1.1. Commonly used substrates such as peat-perlite, coco-coir, oasis [a synthetic potting medium], wood-fiber and rockwool will be used in this study. Two classes of BCAs (fungal and bacterial) will be tested on a single cultivar in each substrate type. Disease severity, Pythium colonization and biocontrol agent colonization will be evaluated as described in objective 1.2. Objective 2: Implement sustainable management strategies for soilborne pathogens that are compatible and integrated with good soil health practices Cultivar-BCA-substrate combinations yielding the greatest and most consistent efficacy in objective 2 will be further evaluated in pre-commercial production systems. The combination of propagation phase application of BCAs with production phase application of fungicides will be evaluated for synergies in replicated trials. In these experiments, plants will be grown for a full production cycle and fruit yield data collected.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The challenge for sustainable agriculture is to develop economically viable alternatives to traditional pesticides. One strategy is to harness the power of naturally occurring antagonistic microbes as biopesticides, to reduce crop loss from disease. Inconsistent field performance of biopesticides, howeverhas been a barrier to uptake. A greater understanding of how different agricultural practices influence biopesticide efficacy will allow for site-specific best-practices for extension specialists and growers to improve performance. This expanded tool-kit of management practices will increase grower productivity and sustainability Objective 1: To understand how microbial populations and microbial gene expression are regulated by the biological (plants and microbes) and physical environment and how they influence disease: During the first 5 months of the project, activities focused on developing the model system to study the effect of cultivar and substrate on biopesticide efficacy. Several isolates of the root pathogen Pythium were obtained from collaborators. Pythium isolates were also recovered from diseased material submitted to the UNH diagnostic clinic and added to the plant pathology culture collection. These locally sourced pathogen isolates were screened in greenhouse experiments for pathogenicity and consistency on tomato andcucumber. Protocols for plant production, pathogen dose and inoculation, disease evaluation and plant growth assessments were also developed. Experiments are currently underway to determine a baseline disease susceptibility of 7 tomato cultivars. Objective 2: Implement sustainable management strategies for soilborne pathogens that are biologically based and are compatible with soil health management practices: This objective will be initiated in year 2 of the project (2018).
Publications
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