PROJECTS
Increase understanding of the interacting biological and ecological components that influence plant and soil health, and the functional potential of indigenous soil microbial communities to enhance plant growth and suppress soilborne pathogens.
Work within this theme focuses on examining the fundamental mechanisms that mediate the natural or induced development of suppressive soil microbiomes.
- Harnessing the soil microbiome to increase soil health and plant productivity. This project has the goal of characterizing the ecological and molecular mechanisms responsible for the establishment and maintenance of disease-suppressive soils, and to use this information, in combination with studies of plant growth-promoting microbes, to develop microbial consortia capable of enhancing soil health and plant productivity. This project also offers innovative and supportive training via Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs).
- Advancing ecological, evolutionary, and mechanistic understanding of natural and induced suppressive soil microbiomes. This project focuses on exploring the specific direct and indirect roles that antibiotics may play in mediating pathogen-antagonist interactions and disease suppression, and characterize the networks of antibiotic-mediated species interactions across suppressive soil microbiomes and among distinct crop management systems to identify consistent `fingerprints’ of suppressive soil microbiomes. Project in collaboration with Dr. Linda Kinkel (UMN), and funded by USDA NIFA.
Advance understanding of soilborne diseases and optimization of their management.
Work within this theme focuses on addressing traditional and emerging plant diseases challenges threatening the regional agricultural industry of the Central Coast of California.
- Control of white rot disease of onions and garlic. This project seeks to explore the potential synergistic effect of anaerobic soil disinfestation and microbial inoculants to suppress the white rot pathogen Sclerotium cepivorum. Project in collaboration with Dr. Arlene Haffa (CSUMB), and funded by the California Garlic and Onion Research Advisory Board.
- Characterization and control of soilborne pathogens of lettuce. This project has the goal of improving the management of Pythium wilt in the Salinas Valley, by furthering our understanding of the biology, epidemiology and control of the disease. Work within this project includes testing the in-vitro sensitivity and/or resistance to commonly-used fungicides among Pythium isolates from lettuce. This project is funded by the California Leafy Greens Research Board.
- Evaluate seed and soil fungicide treatments to control Pythium wilt. This project seeks to generate information on the management of Pythium wilt of lettuce by evaluating the efficacy of chemical and biological control strategies suitable for conventional and/or organic lettuce production. This project is funded by the California Leafy Greens Research Board.
- Novel non-chemical alternatives to control of soilborne pathogens. This project looks to generate novel information to assist local growers to minimize disease loss from soilborne pathogens through a better understanding of the factors that influence plant and soil health. This project is funded by the California State University Agricultural Research Institute (ARI).