Cooperative Agreement AP26PPQFO000C305

AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE MONITORING AND SURVEY ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF PLANT PESTS THAT CAN BE USED FOR REGULATORY AND PEST MANAGEMENT PURPOSES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED:THIS TEXAS STONE FRUIT SURVEY FUNCTIONS AS AN EARLY DETECTION AND MONITORING SYSTEM. ITS FINDINGS WILL OFFER INSIGHTS INTO THE HEALTH STATUS OF STOCK PLANTS USED IN THE UNIVERSITY BREEDING PROGRAM, GROWER-MANAGED STOCK PLANTS, AND ORCHARDS ACROSS TEXAS. AS SUCH WE WILL MONITOR KEY PESTS AND PATHOGENS, SUCH AS PLUM POX VIRUS, EUROPEAN STONE FRUIT YELLOWS, , ALMOND WITCHES' BROOM, THE EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH, AND THE FALSE CODING MOTH. THE RESULTS WILL HELP IDENTIFY AND LIMIT AFFECTED AREAS, SUPPORTING TIMELY RESPONSE MEASURES, AS SUCH, THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH PLANT PROTECTION ACT 7721'S MISSION OF STRENGTHENING PEST MANAGEMENT AND ERADICATION PROGRAMS THROUGH A STRONG PEST EXCLUSION SYSTEM. THIS SURVEY AIMS TO MONITOR SEVERAL STONE FRUIT DISEASES AND INSECT PESTS. TO ACCOMPLISH THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS SURVEY, 3 TASK COMPONENTS WILL BE PERFORMED, NAMED: (1) FIELD COMPONENTS; (2) DISEASE/PATHOGEN SURVEY AND INSECT SURVEY; AND (3) LABORATORY COMPONENT - SCREENING & DIAGNOSTIC. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES THIS SURVEY FOCUSES ON 6 PEST/PATHOGENS, ALL BUT ONE IS NOT KNOWN TO EXIST IN TEXAS. THE ADDITION OF A SURVEY FOR THE BACTERIUM, XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA, CAUSAL AGENT OF PHONY PEACH DISEASE AND PLUM LEAF SCALD IS TO SATISFY A REQUEST FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE CLEANLINESS OF STOCK PLANTS USED FOR THE TEXAS A & M STONE FRUIT BREEDING PROGRAM AND FOR GROWERS-BASED STOCK PLANTS. RESULTS WILL PROVIDE ANIMAL PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE - PLANT PROTECTION QUARANTINE WITH CONFIDENCE IN WHETHER PLUM POX VIRUS, EUROPEAN STONE FRUIT YELLOWS, ALMOND WITCHES' BROOM, THE EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH, AND THE FALSE CODING MOTH IS/ARE IN TEXAS. RESULTS WILL PROVIDE TEXAS DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE WITH DATA ON THE RANGE AND EXTENT OF PHONY PEACH DISEASE IN TEXAS. A SURVEY RESULTING IN POSITIVE PRESENCE OF PLUM POX VIRUS, EUROPEAN STONE FRUIT YELLOWS, , ALMOND WITCHES' BROOM, THE EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH, AND THE FALSE CODING MOTH. WILL ENABLE RAPID RESPONSE TO CONTAIN THE DISEASE/INSECT PEST AND PREVENT SPREAD, THUS PROTECTING TEXAS PEACH INDUSTRY AND GROWERS. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES):THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT TEXAS STONE FRUIT GROWERS, NURSERY OPERATORS, UNIVERSITY BREEDING PROGRAMS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL PLANT HEALTH AGENCIES BY PROVIDING AN EARLY DETECTION AND MONITORING SYSTEM FOR HIGH RISK PESTS AND PATHOGENS THAT THREATEN STONE FRUIT PRODUCTION. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: NONE