Bioprospecting for Local Microbial Strains to Control Fusarium Wilt of Lettuce in Yuma

Fusarium wilt of lettuce, caused mainly by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae, is one of the main biological threats to lettuce production in the Southwestern United States. there are currently few effective methods to prevent or treat infection by this fungal phytopathogen. One potential avenue for the development of new treatments is the isolation of microbes that re antagonistic against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae, and specifically isolation of these microbes from the very fields and environments that can be severely affected by this pathogen in Yuma. We propose to carry out numerous isolations of bacterial strains from multiple fields over the course of the year, and to screen these isolates for potential antagonism against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae. If we are able to isolate strains with antifungal activities of interest, future research will be carried out to further develop these strains for more widespread deployment as a preventative measure against Fusarium wilt in the field.