According to Arkansas scientists the greatest threat for spinach comes from a disease called downy mildew, caused by the pathogen Peronospora effusa.
“The U.S. is the second largest producer of spinach,” said Ainong Shi, a University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture vegetable breeder. “And there has been a dramatic increase in spinach production as a result of higher consumption."
“The most yield-limiting disease in spinach in the U.S. is downy mildew,” Shi said. “In order to keep up with demand, growers require continuous development of improved and adapted spinach varieties to overcome diseases and insect pests.”
James Correll, a Division of Agriculture plant pathologist, said the first line of defence for farmers is developing more resistant breeds, but this gain is only temporary as the disease adapts as well.
Shi and Correll have teamed up to bring new tools to the arena. They are mounting a three-year research program funded by a $725,552 USDA Specialty Crop Multistate Program grant administered through the Arkansas Agriculture Department.
“We are developing new strategies for breeding spinach varieties with durable resistance to ensure long-term disease control,” Shi said.
Shi said the goal of the collaborative research is to use these advanced genetic tools to more efficiently develop improved spinach varieties through conventional breeding methods.
source: hpj.com
