Description:
'Clavibacter michiganensis' subspecies 'michiganensis' (Cmm), a seed borne bacterial quarantine pathogen, is the causative agent of bacterial canker. Cmm causes severe economic damage to tomato production in the Netherlands. Knowledge on the distribution of Cmm in latently infected plants is lacking and no effective sampling protocol is currently available.
Research objectives:
The aim of this project is to generate knowledge on the distribution of Cmm in a tomato plant. In 2009, a greenhouse experiment will be conducted in which infected tomato plants will be raised from infected seed. Plants will be sampled in the two-leaf stage, just before transplantation, and during the flowering stage of the plants. Old and young plant parts will be tested separately, using Bio-PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and dilution plating on a semi-selective medium. In 2009, Cmm-infected seed will be produced by inoculation of the pedicel. In 2010, this infected seed will be used in greenhouse experiments in which the horizontal distribution of Cmm will be investigated using infected plants raised from infected seeds which are surrounded by Cmm-free plants. Results will be analyzed and summarized in a report, in which an advice for sampling will also be provided.
Results and products:
The project will generate knowledge on the small scale distribution of Cmm in tomato. This information will be used to set up a sampling protocol for latently infected tomato material. The knowledge will be distributed via meetings with the steering committee and via a publication in a technical journal. |
