Diel Donne Velasco
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota, United States
Glenrose B. Belen, n/a
Doctoral Graduate Research Assistant
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota, United States
Joan Acaso, n/a
Doctoral Graduate Research Assistant
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota, United States
Zhaohui Liu, n/a
Faculty
Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
Fargo, North Dakota, United States
Barney Geddes, n/a
Assistant Professor
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota, United States
Thomas Baldwin, n/a
Assistant Professor
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota, United States
The bacterial leaf streak disease, caused by Xanthomonas translucens pv. translucens (Xtt), has been an increasingly important disease of barley. Given its persistence across cropping years, and the lack of effective management strategies to mitigate infestations and losses, research on this pathosystem is more critical now than ever. Building on recent comparative genomic studies on Xtt diversity, our surveys confirmed that three distinct clades with varying sets of transcription activator-like effectors are present in major barley-growing states. Field surveys indicate that the prevalence and abundance of these clades vary between infested fields. In addition, virulence tests using representative strains from each clade on ten barley lines revealed differential disease severity responses. These variabilities in field presence and host response highlight potential interclade interactions within Xtt that may affect observed disease severity in the field. To investigate the microbial dynamics between Xtt strains, representative strains from each genetic clade were transformed with internal DNA barcodes and fluorescence genes. The internal barcode enables strain detection and quantification through qPCR or NGS. The fluorescence protein expressed by each strain will allow the exploration of their localization and assess their colonization behavior when co-inoculated. Through this study, we aim to explore potential interclade competition and colonization dynamics in Xtt to better inform our approach in developing effective disease management strategies.