Semi-automated on-site quantification of airborne pathogen inoculum to predict the strawberry fruit rot risks

在英国，减少真菌腐烂是草莓生产的首要任务；每年因真菌腐烂造成的经济损失通常在3000万至6000万英镑之间。腐病主要由灰霉病菌、毛霉菌和根霉引起，其相对流行率随时间和生长地点的不同而不同。英国的大多数草莓生产都受到保护，真菌腐烂的风险在很大程度上取决于病原体接种量的强度和易感组织的可用性。难以准确、快速地定量接种量，阻碍了准确的风险预测，从而有效地控制果实腐烂。本项目将研制一种草莓多种空气传播病原菌半自动定量检测装置，建立草莓采前和采后腐烂风险与定量接种量的关系。这将延长单个草莓的货架寿命，并减少由于真菌腐烂而造成的水果浪费。

Reducing fungal fruit rot is a priority in strawberry production in the UK; annual economic losses due to fungal rotting are usually between £30 to £60M. Rot is mainly caused by Botrytis cinerea, Mucor spp. and Rhizopus spp., with their relative prevalence varying over time and growing site. Most strawberry production in the UK is under protection where the risk of fungal rot largely depends on the pathogen inoculum strength, and availability of susceptible tissues. Accurate risk prediction, and hence effective control of fruit rotting, is hampered by the difficulties in accurate and fast quantification of inoculum strength. This project will develop a device for semi-automatic quantification of multiple airborne strawberry pathogens and establish the relationship of both pre- and post-harvest rot risks with the quantified inoculum level. This will extend the marketable shelf life of individual strawberry lots and reduce fruit waste due to fungal rotting.