Project
Plant diseases in a nut shell
Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) can be affected by several diseases. One of them is “avariato” or “rot”, which manifests itself inside the fruits (nuts), thus making it difficult to detect it from the outside. Disease levels around one percent can already lead to significant economical losses.
The causal agent(s) and the epidemiology have currently not been well identified, obstructing the setting up of early warning systems and disease treatment. By using biological and molecular tools and big-data analysis, the causal agent(s) within the microbiome of the nuts are being identified, together with microbes that may antagonize the these causal agents.
Research aims
- Identification of the causal agents of avariato
- Understanding the epimiology of avariato
- Understanding the (antagonistic) microbial interactions within the trees and nuts
Used techniques
- Bio assays
- PCR
- DNA-seq analysis
- Big-data analysis (machine learning)