Crown gall disease of grapevines: quantification of agrobacterium vitis in vineyard soil

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Agrobacterium vitis is the causal agent of grapevine crown gall, an economically important disease in coldclimate viticulture regions. The disease occurs frequently in Okanagan vineyards and limits grape productionand lifespan of vineyards. The pathogen spreads either through infected grapevine nursery stock or infectshealthy grapevines planted in soil harbouring A. vitis. Wounds in the grapevine trunk or canes due to winterfreezing or mechanical injuries lead to the development of galls. In our earlier Engage grant-funded study wedeveloped a rapid and sensitive protocol to quantify A. vitis in grapevine nursery stock. This allows us toscreen grapevines that have been purchased by the grape industry before planting into a vineyard. To preventinfection of healthy stock from A. vitis residing in soil, a protocol to quantify the A. vitis soil population isurgently needed. Here we propose to expand the existing protocol to quantify A. vitis from virgin and vineyardsoil. We will also determine the threshold concentration of A. vitis in soil that will result in the development ofcrown gall disease in a greenhouse experiment. This will lead to valuable information for growers to determinethe risk of infection when a new vineyard is established. Our protocols will form the basis for the developmentof a biocontrol for crown gall disease in future projects.