Recently, the green light was given in the Netherlands for a three-year study focused on Ralstonia solanacearum (Rsol). Rsol is a quarantine bacterium that can cause wilt in a wide range of economically important crops, including potato, tomato and anthurium.
In 2015, a derived version of this pathogen was found in greenhouse roses at both cultivation companies and growers. The rose was unknown as host of Rsol until this infection. The loss ran into millions by the compulsory and necessary destruction of plant material and corresponding quarantine and hygienic measures.
During tracing, testing for presence and the arranging of measures to prevent further spread, it was found that a lot of essential information on the pathogen in greenhouse roses was not available. For this reason, government, industries and research institutions worked together to establish a PPP research project, funded by industry and the government through the Top Sector Horticulture & Starting Material.
Within this PPP innovative knowledge will be developed in three areas: testing methodology, epidemiology of Rsol in roses and other crops and prevention. The presently used testing requires multiple steps including a time-consuming bioassay for the detection of pathogenicity. Researchers are working on a laboratory test for Rsol that is fast, reliable, sensitive and inexpensive, which can also show pathogenicity immediately. A lot of knowledge is available about the epidemiology of Rsol in potato. However, little is known about the derived version that can affect roses. To better assess the risk of introduction and spread of Rsol in crops that are important for Dutch agriculture, an inventory is made for a number of crops. Also the routes of infection, infection processes and survival strategies of Rsol in roses will be investigated further.
With the aid of the results, the prevention strategy can be optimized. As a result, the risk of new infections is minimized. In addition, within the project, research is conducted to increase the resistance of the plant.
Source: LTO Glaskracht Nederland