The genomic basis of host specificity and niche adaptation of Pseudomonas syringae on Prunus

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This grant will have a global impact, both on the research field internationally and on the international industry, especially the UK industry, as bacterial canker of Prunus is present in all regions of the globe. The importance of this pathogen cannot be underestimated, with P. s. pv. aesculi exemplifying an epidemic strain rapidly spreading and devastating Horse Chestnut populations in northern Europe; and P. s. pv. actinidiae causing huge economic loss of the major plant export crop of kiwi, worldwide. Through full engagement with industry stakeholders, maximum translation of this research will be ensured, driving forward the UK plant breeding industry in a globally competitive market.

Direct beneficiaries:

1. Commercial private sector
The UK and international plant breeding sector will benefit enormously from this endeavour and will allow these industries to first develop markers for QTL and later move from marker level associations to candidate gene associations. This is important for next-generation genome editing approaches and functional validation of candidate genes. This moves the industry very quickly to a point where pedigree-based selection and genome-wide selection are affordable and tractable options for crop improvement. Placing this in the hands of the UK partners will give the UK business a significant competitive edge (Benefit within 7-10 years)..

2. Fruit growing sector in the UK
UK industry will benefit as it will be able to access a resource that is beyond its means to create. Longer term it is anticipated that the UK partners will make significant use of this resource and knowledge generated from this pre-competitive work. This may lead to further competitive work funded by other research bodies (e.g. innovate UK or AHDB). Advancing genomic resources in horticultural crops and their pathogens is a key aim of the AHDB-Horticulture and evidenced by its support in this proposal. Ultimately, if patterns in effector gain and loss could be understood, prediction of a pathogen's host range and specificity may one day be possible from sequence data alone.
(Benefit within 5-10 years).

3. Public and retail sector-
Several UK retailers aim to double sales of UK-produced fruit by 2020; this project will assist that aim and improve UK productivity and competitiveness. Downstream science conducted utilising the resources generated in this project will lead to more reliable production methods and potentially reduce wastage in the supply chain (through reduced inputs and better variety development) (Benefit within 7-10 years).

Indirect beneficiaries
The wider cherry growing industry (UK and beyond)
As a result of resistance markers to bacterial canker, the rate of change of varietal development will increase, leading to greater benefits to downstream growers, packers and producers. (Benefit within 10-12 years)

Government, public and policy benefits
The public will benefit, not only from the improved position of UK agribusiness (and access of breeders to novel technologies), but also through the long term improvement in supply chain resilience through improved cultivar development. In the longer term the public will benefit through increased food security and sustainability, as a result of scientific improvements on horticultural crops. This feeds into many UK Government and EU policy agendas including: health (improving produce quality, pesticides (reducing residues through improved resistance), water (ability to grow nearer water courses), climate (growing crops perennially will improve carbon sequestration) and environment (reduced carbon and pesticides) (Benefit within 5-10 years).