Abstract:

Rust caused by melampsora is the most serious problem of willow (salix), the main crop for renewable energy and important vegetation for conservation in Europe. The EU is committed to a 15% reduction of greenhouse gas emission by 2010, and a large increase of energy production from renewable sources is expected. Economic and environmental considerations rule out the use of fungicide for rust control. This project aims to develop integrated rust control measures, without inputs of fungicide. It will address population biology and epidemiology of melampsora, sources and genetics of rust resistance in salix, function of host mixtures against rust and the potential of using a mycoparasite for biological control. The project will provide measures towards breeding for durable resistance, designing optimum mixtures and deploying the biocontrol agent to suppress rust disease.

Contacts

Coordinator

• Ming H PEI / University of Bristol Long Ashton Research Station (LARS) / UNITED KINGDOM

Participant

• Irmtraut ZASPEL / Institute for Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding (BFH) GERMANY
• Alistair R MCCRACKEN / Queen's University of Belfast (APS-QUV) Dept. Applied Plant Science / UNITED KINGDOM
• Urban GULLBURG / Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) SWEDEN