Description

Development of qPCR tests to improve diagnostics of Ascochyta blight, one of the leading yield-robbing diseases for pulse crops. These fungal pathogens can reside in the soil, residue, or seeds. Planting seeds that have tested negative for Ascochyta spp. is considered an important management tool (Skoglund et al. 2011). In the last five years, the North Dakota State Seed Department (NDSSD) performed bioassays to rate Ascochyta blight infections on an average of 190 samples for approximately 95 clients per year. Since each pulse crop appears to be infected by different fungal species, NAGC created novel PCR-based assays to co-amplify all Ascochyta spp. Ultimately, the data generated from this project will provide new, more sensitive assays for Ascochyta blight to help inform pulse crop growers and seed companies for the disease potential of their seed stocks.

This project was funded by

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