IINNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR MANAGEMENT OF BOTRYTIS FUNGICIDE RESISTANCE IN SPECIALTY CROPS

B. cinerea is a fungal pathogen with broad host range, that causes negative economic impacts across the U.S. from specialty crops such as blueberry, ornamentals, vegetable transplants and row crops such as sugar beet. Botrytis blight is the most prevalent pathogen infecting ornamental and vegetable transplant crops in California. In Michigan, several Botrytis species infect blueberry blossoms and sugar beet storage piles. Disease management mainly relies on fungicide applications, presuming development of fungicide resistance. The development of fungicide resistance in the aforementioned crops has not been addressed. This information is critical for disease management. Providing stakeholders with information on effective modes of action to control this pathogen will help to mitigate disease and improve management. We propose to:1) Characterize fungicide resistance profiles of understudiedBotrytispopulations associated with select crops, 2) Validate transferability of molecular diagnostics tools into less knownBotrytispopulations,3) Improve and augment diagnostics toolsfor fungicide resistance inBotrytisand4) Create disease management extension materials, protocols and trainings to share with growers, the National Plant Diagnostics Network (NPDN) and private laboratories.In line with CPPM priorities, our goal is to "ensure sustainable food production and respond effectively to societal pest management challenges with comprehensive IPM approaches: economically viable, ecologically prudent, and safe for human health".Outcome: Contribute to reduce fungicide applications of ineffective chemistries, protecting agriculture workers and the environment. Promote use of less hazardous chemistries, combined with cultural practices to improve disease management. Project would provide rapid detection tools for fungicide resistance testing of Botrytis isolates infecting a wide range of crop in the U.S.