Pierce's disease, Xylella fastidiosa

Scientist:
Dr. Barry Hill

Current projects

• Field studies in California.

Characterization of bacterial diseases

Scientist:
Dr. Dan Opegnorth

Current projects

• Citrus Canker, Citrus greening/Huanglongbing, Ralstonia, Xanthomonas oryzae, X. fragariae, X. campestris, Phytoplasma, Spiroplasma

Pathology techniques

Scientist:
Dr. Dan Opegnorth

Current projects

• Diagnostic Pathology using highly sensitive bio-technology techniques such as ELISA, PCR and Real Time PCR.

Fungal pathogens and diseases

Scientists:
Dr. Cheryl Blomquist
Dr. Suzanne Latham-Rooney

Current projects

• Identification of new plant diseases caused by fungi and oomycetes in California. Identification methods include using microscopic morphological characters, genetic sequence, ELISA and pathogenicity tests.
• Develop new and refine established methods for molecular detection of fungal plant pathogens that cause both new and existing disease problems in California.
• Dr. Latham-Rooney:
• Biology and etiology of fungal pathogens and diseases of grapevine.

Phythophthora

Scientist:
Dr. Suzanne Latham-Rooney

Current projects

• Diagnosis of Phytophthora ramorum and other Phytophthora species in California.

Identify new perennial plant viral diseases

Scientist:
Dr. Yunping Zhang

Current projects

• Improve current methods, and develop new methods, for virus detection and identification, using ELISA and PCR.

Identify new viral diseases in California

Scientists:
Dr. Tongyan Tian
Dr. Yunping Zhang

Current projects

• Improve current methods, and develop new methods, for virus detection and identification.

Identify new seed borne pathogens

Scientist:
Dr. Yunping Zhang

Current projects

• Develop biological, and especially molecular-based, methods for detection of seed borne plant pathogens.