School of Biological Sciences makes breakthrough to control crown gall disease in plants
A world free of grapevine crown gall disease is a step closer with the first field trial of a new method at Yalumba Nursery in the Barossa Valley.
Associate Professor Iain Searle – School of Biological Sciences – and his team have created the world’s first biological control for the disease which has caused a century of losses.
Crown gall disease is caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens or Allorhizobium vitis bacteria, commonly found in soil, water and in vine sap and causes tumour-like growths on the plants. The disease is particularly problematic for young plants as it is difficult to eradicate without prompt removal and destruction of the affected plants.
Some vineyards have reported more than 90 per cent of infected plants die within the first two years of planting resulting in significant economic costs and biosecurity concerns.
Associate Professor Searle said work first began in this space around 26 years ago at the University of Adelaide.
“Previous work on a biological control strain called A. vitis F2/5 had been done by Emeritus Professor Tom Burr’s team at the New York State Agricultural Research Station, Cornell University,” he said.
“Burr and team were able to identify important genes responsible for necrosis but were unable to develop a commercially useful strain.”