PFI-RP: Development of a powdery mildew control product for grapes

创新-研究伙伴关系（PFI-RP）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是减少葡萄白粉病感染造成的农业损失。葡萄酒和葡萄产业是一个价值数十亿美元的美国产业，受到白粉病的严重影响。葡萄白粉病可显著降低葡萄产量和产品质量。在整个葡萄生长季节，每亩葡萄都要用农药处理，白粉病的防治占加州葡萄农药成本的89%。由于白粉病对现有农药的抗性增强，以及气候变化导致的白粉病发病压力增加，需要新的方法来控制葡萄白粉病。该团队开发了一种控制葡萄白粉病的技术。这项技术利用了一种被称为RNA干扰（RNAi）的自然过程，在这种过程中，特定于目标的小RNA可以阻止目标蛋白质的合成。RNAi产品是可生物降解的，具有高度特异性和最小的脱靶，使其成为比当前治疗更环保的替代品。正在开发的白粉病防治产品具有新的作用模式，具有多种有效靶点，与商业喷洒方法兼容，与现有农药相比安全性更高的优点。拟议的项目解决农业中白粉病的紧迫和普遍问题，重点是葡萄。该研究团队汇集了一个多学科小组，以开发具有该领域最终用户所需性能特征的RNAi白粉病控制产品原型。该产品开发包括目标和交付优化以及最终用户在温室和田间最小可行产品特征的评估。该项目可能会产生知识产权，完善的商业化计划，加强和新的学术界和工业界之间的伙伴关系。妇女和少数民族创业培训是该项目的一个重要组成部分，该项目由妇女领导，将包括妇女和少数民族农业创新本科实习生。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation – Research Partnerships (PFI-RP) project is to reduce agricultural losses due to powdery mildew infection of grapes. The wine and grape industry is a multi-billion dollar US industry which is heavily impacted by powdery mildew disease. Powdery mildew disease in grapes can dramatically reduce grape yield and product quality. Every grape-bearing acre is treated with pesticides throughout the growing season, with powdery mildew control accounting for 89% of California grape pesticide costs. Because of increasing powdery mildews resistance to current pesticides and increasing powdery mildew disease pressure due to climate change, new methods to control powdery mildew in grapes are required. The team has developed a technology for powdery mildew control in grapes. The technology takes advantage of a naturally occurring process called RNA interference (RNAi) in which small RNAs, specific to a target, can prevent the target protein from being made. RNAi products are biodegradable and highly specific with minimal off-targets making them attractive as more environmentally benign alternatives than current treatments. The powdery mildew control product in development has a novel mode of action with the added benefit of multiple effective targets, compatibility with commercial spraying practices, and enhanced safety compared to current pesticides. The proposed project addresses the pressing and widespread problem of powdery mildew disease in agriculture, focused on grapes. The research team brings together a multidisciplinary group to develop a prototype RNAi powdery mildew control product with performance features required by end-users in the field. This product development includes target and delivery optimization and assessment of end-user minimal viable product features in the greenhouse and field. The project may result in intellectual property, a refined commercialization plan, and strengthened and new partnerships between academia and industry. Training in entrepreneurship of women and minorities is an important component of this project, which is led by women and will include women and minority Agriculture Innovation Undergraduate Interns.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.