ASSESSMENT OF THE PROCESS OF MOVEMENT OF XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA WITHIN SUSCEPTIBLE AND RESISTANT GRAPE VARIETIES

• Author(s): Lindow, Steven; Baccari, Clelia;
• Abstract: We are studying the process of movement of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) cells between xylem vessels and through plants by analyzing the changing proportion of genetically distinct strains, initially introduced into the plants by distance and time from point of inoculation. We are also determining whether bottlenecks in movement of Xf cells in plants are more extreme in resistant plants than in susceptible plants, and whether this phenomenon can be exploited as a tool to screen germplasm for resistance to Xf. We expect that the process of movement of Xf involves a progressive and sequential colonization of a large number of xylem vessels that is limited by anatomical features of plants (nature of pit membranes and other barriers to vessel to vessel movement in the stem). The resulting in bottlenecks practically limit the number of Xf cells that can move from one vessel to another, and thus constitute a major factor that confers resistance in plants.
• Publication Date: Nov 2006
• Journal: 2006 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium