Overview of Project

Project title: Multi-barrier Management Strategies of Phytophthora blight in Peppers and Cucurbits

This project is funded by the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), award #13886442.

Project Team Members
  • Soum Sanogo, Project Director; Dennis Lozada, Willis Fedio, Koffi Djaman, and Ram Acharya; New Mexico State University
  • Emran Ali; Alcorn State University
  • Alex Hu and Albert Barberán; University of Arizona
  • Nick Dufault; University of Florida
  • Mohammad Babadoost; University of Illinois
  • Andy Wyenandt; Rutgers University
  • Kevin Crosby and Anil Somenahally; Texas A&M
Project Goals
  1. To provide guidance on gauging disease risk and durability of disease mitigation strategies through identification of sites/systems possessing a spectrum of soils ranging from conducive to suppressive to disease incited by Phytophthora capsici.
  2. To identify and develop lines/cultivars with attributes in reducing the rate of infection, reducing soil inoculum potential (genetic soil disinfestation), maintaining resistance under drought and flooding conditions, and recruiting microbiome that is antagonistic to P. capsici and yet stimulatory to plant growth.
  3. To develop sensitive and rapid disease detection methods to guide the implementation of multifaceted disease management programs that include preventing disease outbreaks and reducing disease levels through disease resistance, tolerance to environmental footprints (drought and flooding), improved soil health, and improved food quality and safety.
  4. To provide producers and other stakeholders with research, extension, and educational materials on the efficacy and the profitability of managing P. capsici using integrated strategies.

Background on Phytophthora blight: symptoms, success of the pathogen, and management (see main page, Outreach, and Photo Gallery)

Perspectives and Philosophy on Management Research for Phytophthora blight (see main page and PMRI Components)