Molecular Epidemiology of Ratoon Stunting Disease of Sugarcane

This project underlines the importance of understanding how the ratoon stunting disease occurred in sugarcane fields. It is known that the causal agent is insidious; caused by bacteria Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli who infects xylem parts. Little is known about how to handle and the nature of this pathogen. My research project aims to identify the bio-ecology of the pathogen, its nature, its spread through advanced molecular approaches. Real time qPCR and Next generation sequencing (such as Whole Genome Sequencing) will be conducted to understand the genetic variation and the originality of the mutation. rapid detection through pooled Leaf Sheath Biopsy (LSB) sampling techniques is also being applied to ease the data collection. High positive rate is identified in Rocky point cane growing area in Australia which may be showing underlying mechanism of disease survival and dispersion.
reference:

Young, A. J. (2018). Turning a Blind Eye to Ratoon Stunting Disease of Sugarcane in Australia. Plant Disease, 102(3), 473-482. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-17-0911-FE