Broadcast Date: January 16, 2025 | 11:00am - 12:00pm Central
Cost: Free for members, $49 for nonmembers
Register Now!Thank You to our Series Sponsors:
- The USDA National Institute of Food & Agriculture Specialty Crops Research Initiative Project No. 2019-51181-30019, with the following institutions:
- Pennsylvania State University
- Auburn University
- Cornell University
- Washington State University
- North Carolina State University
- University of Florida
- University of Wisconsin
- USDA/ARS
- The APHIS Widely Prevalent Bacteria Committee
Webinar Summary
Acidovorax citrulli is the causal agent of bacterial fruit blotch (BFB), a serious disease of cucurbits, and mainly of watermelon and melon. Despite the agricultural importance of BFB, still little is known about basic aspects of the disease. As many Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, A. citrulli utilizes a type III secretion system (T3SS) to deliver virulence, type III effectors (T3Es) into the host cell. A. citrulli possess at least ~60 known T3E genes, placing this species among the richest pathogenic bacteria in terms of T3E arsenal’s size. One of the goals of my lab is to identify T3Es that significantly contribute to virulence and adaptation of this pathogen to different cucurbit crops. While the large amount of T3Es and the subtle phenotype of most of them challenge this goal, I believe we are making progress in optimization of the molecular tools that will enable breakthroughs in the field.
Webinar Presenters
Moderator
Janak R. Joshi | Montana State University
Speaker
Saul Burdman is a Professor of Plant Pathology at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the Hebrew University, Israel. His career has focused primarily on basic and applied aspects of bacterial plant diseases and the use of beneficial bacteria for plant growth promotion. Burdman is an internationally recognized scientist in investigation of bacterial fruit blotch disease of cucurbits, caused by
Acidovorax citrulli. Together with Ron Walcott (University of Georgia) he edited the book "Plant-Pathogenic Acidovorax Species”, published by APS Press.
Burdman teaches several undergraduate and graduate courses in Plant Pathology and Phytobacteriology at the Hebrew University. He has served as Coordinator of Program Studies in Agroecology and Plant Health and as Head of the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at the Hebrew University. He served as President of the Israeli Phytopathological Society from 2019 to 2022, and is the current Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
About the Advances in Phytobacteriology Series
The Bacteriology Committee's educational webinar series aims to promote interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration by disseminating groundbreaking research findings in Phytobacteriology. The goal of the series is to engage the scientific community, the series features insights from leading experts in the field. It also strengthens professional networks to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange.
After participating in the Bacteriology Committee's educational webinar series, which focuses on groundbreaking research, collaboration, and knowledge sharing, attendees will gain awareness of the latest advancements and technological innovations in bacteriology, while also grasping emerging trends and novel methodologies that are shaping the future of the field. Participants will learn about current collaborative projects and initiatives within the bacteriological community and related disciplines, understanding the impact of recent research findings on shaping the future needs of research in phytobacteriology.
