Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

Identification and characterization of the Rose Rosette disease causal agent

Project ID: 1998-33

Abstract

Rose rosette disease is lethal to multiflora rose, a noxious weed occurring in pastureland in most of Iowa. The potential use of rose rosette disease as a biocontrol agent can be enhanced by grafting infected shoots onto plants in established stands (i.e., augmentation). However, questions arose about whether the disease could be spread to ornamental roses. This study probes the identity of the causal agent for the disease in hopes of determining whether fears of transmission to ornamental roses were valid.

Lead investigator: John H. Hill, ISU Plant Pathology, et al

Year of grant completion: 1999

This competitive grant project was part of the Leopold Center's Initiative.

Topics: Biocontrol and Integrated Pest Management, Weed control alternatives (not GMOs)