Investigating climate adaptation in the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa
Rodrigo Almeida, Professor
Environmental Science, Policy and Management
Closed. This professor is continuing with Fall 2024 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Spring 2025.
Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited bacterium associated with several important diseases in a wide range of plants. In California, the bacterium causes Pierce's Disease (PD) of grapevine, which has economic and management implications for the state's wine industry. The range of PD in California is limited by cold winter temperatures; exposure to a cold climate in northern CA eliminates X. fastidiosa from grapevines in a phenomenon known as winter recovery. Winter recovery from PD therefore influences the persistence of chronic infections in cooler climates, impacting management decisions in vineyards towards the northern edge of the pathogen’s range. Despite its importance to PD ecology and management, very little is understood about the mechanism behind this curing phenomenon, and genetically distinct populations of the pathogen may adapt to local climates.
Role: The student will learn how to care for and sample plants in the greenhouse, perform DNA extractions in the lab, and run qPCRs to detect the bacterium. The student will also learn other lab techniques such as preparing bacterial media and culturing Xylella fastidiosa.
Qualifications: Introductory biology coursework. Desirable but not essential: experience and/or interest in plant pathology.
Hours: 6-8 hrs
Related website: https://nature.berkeley.edu/almeidalab/
Biological & Health Sciences