The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. (UGA Research Foundation) was awarded a $789,777 Project Grant under the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)'s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program. The funding supports research to elucidate the mechanisms of pathogenicity and host specificity of the devastating plant pathogen Phytophthora palmivora. Key objectives include determining how the pathogenicity factor PPALRXLR1 confers infection capability, identifying its role in host range evolution, and discovering additional virulence proteins.
This project will advance fundamental knowledge essential for developing novel, environmentally-friendly control strategies against P. palmivora, which causes over $1B in annual global losses for cacao and other agriculturally/ecologically important plants. The research also involves training opportunities for graduate, undergraduate, and high school students, as well as outreach to K-12 teachers, to build the STEM workforce and interest in agricultural sciences.
Additionally, the University of Florida's Division of Sponsored Research was awarded a $3,509 sub-grant to collaborate on mechanisms of pathogenicity and host specificity of P. palmivora. This sub-project contributes specialized expertise in oomycete plant pathogens to the overall research initiative.
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