Mildew Mania PLUS An evolutionary arms- race in the field.

Mildew Mania PLUS

An evolutionary arms-race in the field

2009 mildew sampling pathotypes

Red = wildtypeBlue = fungicide resistant mutant

2012 mildew sampling pathotypes

Red = wildtypeBlue = fungicide resistant mutant

AIMS To encourage students to enrol in

agricultural studies and engage with scientific research

To identify when powdery mildew is present

To collect samples and identify which barley varieties have genetic resistance, and which strain(s) of powdery mildew are present

Continue planting 1 pot each week until signs of mildew infection.

Week 1: plant Baudin seeds

Week 2: plant Baudin seeds

Week 3: plant Baudin seeds

1 1 2 1 2

3

Week 4: plant Baudin seeds

1 2

3 4

3

5 6 7 8 9

Week 5: INFECTION FOUND??! Proceed with planting all extra cultivars including Baudin with and without fungicide

Monitor new pots every week for signs of infection. Record how many, in which pots and when infection occurs – send samples to ACNFP

4

21

10

11

All pots should contain ~4 seeds/pot, ~1cm deep, and watered every 2-3days

week

Activity for the week

1 Plant pot 1 of Baudin seeds

2 Plant pot 2 of Baudin seeds, check pot 1 for mildew, record results

3 Plant pot 3 of Baudin seeds, check pots 1 & 2, record results

4 Plant pot 4 of Baudin seeds, check pots 1, 2 & 3, record results. Give pot 1 fertiliser

5? POWERDRY MILDEW FOUND?! Take photo and email/text to ACNFP to confirm. Plant pot 5 of Baudin seeds. Plant pots 6,7,8,9,10&11 with other barley cultivars, fungicide treated Baudin and wheat. Give pot 2 fertiliser.

6 Give pot 3 fertiliser. Check new pots for mildew, record results (if mildew present, if so, which plants?)

7 Give pot 4 fertiliser. Check new pots for mildew, record results

8 Give pots 5,6,7,8,9,10 &11 fertiliser. Check new pots for mildew, record results

9 If any pots other than the normal Baudin get infected, collect a sample and post it to us for testing.

Advantages of the PLUS More chance of infection due to presence of

“disease nursery”

Multiple cultivars of barley with different levels of genetic resistance

Genetically susceptible barley treated with fungicide

Extension lesson activities which we can design and present to your students

Possible incursions: All years

Experimental design and practise – how to ensure a fair and reliable test

Year 8 Classification of cells - difference between fungi, plant and

animal cells: physical properties and reproduction Year 9

Ecosystem communities – biotic and abiotic factors which effect agricultural populations eg. competition, genetic variability, rainfall, fungicide use etc

Year 10 Co-evolution – mildew and barley have evolved together, as one

resistant gene evolved, a new virulence gene evolved Year 11&12 (biology/ integrated/plant production systems)

Using biotechnology - students design a diagnostic test to determine if a specific barley cultivar contains a mutation in a resistance gene