Deployment of rapid diagnostic tools for Phytophthora on horticultural crops in Central America
J. B. RISTAINO (1), K. Ivors (2), P. Bonants (3), M. Blanco-Meneses (4), J. Melgar (5), L. Gomez-Alpizar (6)
(1) Dept. of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, U.S.A.; (2) Dept. Plant Pathology, MHCRC, Mills River, NC, U.S.A.; (3) Plant Research International, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708PB, Wageningen, NETHERLANDS; (4) Laboratorio de Técnicas Moleculares aplicadas a la Fitoproteccion, centro de Investigaciones en Protección de Cultivos, Escuela de Agronomía, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, COSTA RICA; (5) Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Fundación Hondureña de Investigación Agrícola, La Lima, Cortes, HONDURAS; (6) Agronomic Research Center, University of Costa Rica, San Pedro, Montes de Oca, San Jose, COSTA RICA
Phytopathology 101:S153

Plant disease is a limiting factor in agricultural production in Latin America due to high rainfall conditions and the presence of a diversity of plant pathogenic microorganisms. Losses estimated to be as high as $30 billion per year. The accurate identification of Phytophthora has important implications for growers in Latin America and the U.S. and can improve our knowledge of pathogen biology and ultimately treatment and control of tropical plant diseases. Our overall objective is to produce a platform of tools needed to detect, identify, and ultimately prevent entry of novel species of Phytophthora into the U.S. with a major focus on development of surveillance tools for common and high threat species of Phytophthora on horticultural crops including potato, cacao and floriculture crops from Central America. We deployed a series of “shovel ready” technologies including: a Phytophthora diagnostics workshop held in San Jose Costa Rica in 2010, a Lucid key for species identification, PCR-RFLP and Padlock probes and digital diagnostic identification systems to identify Phytophthora species and improve the diagnostic capabilities for important plant disease clinics in the region. We are working with collaborators including, FHIA in Honduras, Universidad de Costa Rica, CATIE, The World Cacao Foundation, DOLE Foods, and the Organization of Tropical Studies to conduct surveys of Phytophthora species on horticultural crops in the region.