UR0407 Pathologie Végétale
Projects/innovation
Current projects
CLIMAT

CLIMAT - TERSYS project - 2025-2026

Effect of climatic parameters on the intra-plant dynamics of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae biovar 3 bacterial populations and on the severity of bacterial canker disease in kiwifruit

  • Funding: Avignon université, structure fédérative de recherche TERSYS
     
  • Project: The quality and quantity of agricultural production is under the influence of many environmental factors. Climatic factors, for example, have a direct impact on the quality of agricultural production. However, climate could also affect plant health through indirect effects on the intra-plant dynamics of plant pathogens. Bacterial canker disease, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) strains, is responsible for severe agronomic and economic losses in kiwi cultivation worldwide. Understanding and modeling the epidemic dynamics of this disease, as well as its management in the field, relies mainly on observing symptoms and damage. However, intra- and interannual fluctuations of symptoms in orchards do not allow for accurate prediction of the infectious status of trees due to asymptomatic phases, and remain difficult to predict. Fluctuations in the incidence and severity of this disease could be better predicted and modeled based on i) an alternative indicator to symptom (i.e. the size of bacterial populations within kiwi trees), and ii) empirical data on the influence of abiotic factors on this indicator. This project aims to study the impact of abiotic parameters (temperature, relative humidity) under controlled conditions on the dynamics of Psa bacterial populations in kiwi plants (Actinidia chinensis), based on the optimization of a high-throughput qPCR method.
     
  • Coordinator: Unité de Pathologie végétale (centre INRAE Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Avignon)
     
  • Partners: 
    • Unité de Pathologie végétale (INRAE, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Avignon)
    • Unité CBGP (INRAE, Occitanie-Montpellier, Montpellier)
       
  • Manager for the unit: LACROIX Christelle
     
  • Duration: 2025-2026 (24 months)

Modification date: 04 February 2026 | Publication date: 04 February 2026 | By: LACROIX Christelle