An enhanced toolkit for Botrytis control in protected cropping

软果种植者有有限的选择来处理冠腐，因此，他们依赖于清洁的植物材料到达他们。基于dna的横向流动装置分析的发展为种植者和农艺师提供了一种现场检测园艺作物病原体的手段，使用的是公众熟悉的技术，而不需要专门的实验室设备。我们已经利用基因组数据建立了一个快速开发高特异性dna检测的管道。重要的是，该技术具有检测亚特异性变异的潜力，例如杀菌剂抗性标记。这些方法支持精准农业的实施，使种植者和繁殖者能够亲自测试并防止受感染的植物进入控制系统，同时为喷洒决策提供信息，并通过后续供应链跟踪疾病和污染。这种诊断还为进一步检测受保护草莓（如白粉病）的其他重要真菌疾病和更广泛的园艺提供了蓝图。在软果育种计划中，品种控制的需求日益增加。到目前为止，抗水果腐病的育种已经证明具有挑战性。然而，项目合作伙伴已经确定了对葡萄腐病抗性不同的品系。这种抗性是否只对冠/叶组织产生，还需要进一步研究。为了实现对葡萄孢菌的抗性，需要采用先进的育种方法。我们将同时选择许多小效应基因，将其转化为金字塔抗性的高级品系。此外，完整的基因型多样性集，为在草莓野生近缘种中鉴定葡萄孢杆菌抗性的新来源提供了机会，促进了新抗性的渗入和精确育种。微生物生物防治为控制葡萄孢菌病提供了非化学方法的机会。然而，目前在建立持久人群以有效控制疾病方面面临挑战。封闭系统可能受益于管理条件，有利于生物防治种群的持续存在，但自然定植的机会有限。该项目将提供有关生物防治接种剂在进口到受保护系统之前的预冷苗圃应用的独特信息。它还将调查在冬季淡季温室生产的寒冷时期有益种群的持久性。这项工作将支持在保护系统中更好地建立/维持生物防治种群，并导致开发用于温室种植的优质预处理托盘植物。通过本项目，我们开发了一套先进的保护草莓葡萄孢菌病精密监测与综合病害管理工具箱。

Soft fruit growers have limited options to treat crown rots, as such, they are reliant upon clean plant material reaching them. Development of DNA-based Lateral Flow Device assays provides a means for in-field testing of horticultural crop pathogens by growers and agronomists, using technology that is familiar to the public and without the need for specialist lab equipment. We have used genomic data to establish a pipeline for rapid development of high-specificity DNA-based assays. Importantly, this technology has potential for detection of sub-specific variants, such as markers of fungicide resistance. Such approaches support the implementation of precision agriculture, allowing growers and propagators to personally test and prevent import of infected plants into contained systems, whilst informing spray decisions, as well as tracking disease and contamination through the onward supply chain. Such diagnostics also provide a blueprint for further assay development across additional important fungal diseases of protected strawberry (e.g., powdery mildew) and wider horticulture.There is increased need for varietal control within soft-fruit breeding programmes. To date, fruit rot resistance has proved challenging to breed for. However, lines differing in resistance to Botrytis crown rot have been identified by project partners. Work is needed to determine whether this resistance is specific to crown/leaf tissues. To achieve Botrytis resistance, advanced breeding approaches will need to be deployed. We will simultaneously select-upon many small-effect genes to pyramid resistance into advanced lines Furthermore, fully-genotyped diversity-sets, provide opportunity to identify novel sources of Botrytis resistance across strawberry wild relatives, facilitating introgression of novel resistance and precision breeding.Microbial-biocontrol offers non-chemical opportunities to manage Botrytis diseases. However, challenges are currently faced in establishing persistent populations for effective disease control. Contained systems may benefit from managed conditions to favour biocontrol population persistence but have limited opportunity for natural colonisation. This project will provide unique information on pre-chilling nursery application of biocontrol inoculum prior to import into protected systems. It will also investigate the persistence of beneficial populations during winter chilling periods of off-season glasshouse production. This work will support better establishment/persistence of biocontrol populations in protected systems and lead to development of premium pre-treated tray-plants for glasshouse planting.Through this project we develop an advanced toolbox for precision monitoring and integrated disease management of Botrytis in protected strawberry.