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The RCTB Board approved eight research projects for 2024-25, investing more than $200,000 in research. Over the past few weeks, we have been showcasing the various research. Below is a summary of the final (of eight) approved projects.
Is Phytopythium vexans Causing Disease in Christmas Trees? – Rutgers University – Dr. Timothy Waller
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the pathogenicity of Phytopythium vexans isolates collected from symptomatic plants in New Jersey, towards commonly grown Christmas trees, including (Abies) Canaan, Fraiser, Concolor, Turkish, (Pseudotsuga) Douglas Fir, and (Picea) Colorado Blue, and Norway. The need for this project originated through sampling where Phytopythium vexans was associated with diseased plantings (particularly Canaan Fir and Douglas Fir), often initiated by flooding, yet could not be definitively linked to causation due to the lack of adequate pathogenicity studies. The project will explore the hypothesis that this pathogen can cause disease in numerous Christmas tree genera and species by completing Koch’s Postulates, thus establishing causation, and ultimately disseminating this information through peer-review publications. Samples will be collected from known infested farms, and
isolated through selective media techniques to obtain cultures. Samples will also be evaluated for cross reactivity with commercially available immuno test strips, avoiding future misdiagnosis with Phytophthora spp. A comprehensive flood-like, zoospore-based greenhouse inoculation technique will also be a result of this study. Genetic information will be utilized to first identify Phytopythium species, then corroborate re-isolations from inoculated and diseased plants, adding ITS1,4 and Cox1 gene information to the NCBI GenBank database. This project aims to gather baseline information on pathogenicity, flood condition inoculations (due to increasingly volatile climatic events) and lay a foundation for variety/provenance trials in the future.
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