Combating Rose rosette disease US national project

Abstract

In the past few decades, Rose rosette disease (RRD) has spread from its source in western North America through the Mid-West to the East coast. It now threatens to decimate the US rose industry. Garden roses, which form the cornerstone of the multi-billion dollar landscape industry, annually generate wholesale US domestic bare root and container production valued at around $ 400 million. RRD is caused by an emaravirus, Rose rosette virus (RRV), which is transmitted by wind-blown eriophyid mites (Phyllocoptes fructiphilus). Unlike other rose diseases, it can kill a rose within two to three years of infection. In collaboration with scientists from 6 states, private rose breeders, the American Rose Society, AmericanHort, and the rose industry, a project was initiated to develop a multidisciplinary approach to control the disease. In the short term, the project team is working to develop Best Management Practices and educational materials based on host, virus, and vector biology to minimize the effects of RRD. Key to this effort is the development of efficient user-friendly diagnostic tools. In the long term, roses are being assessed for resistance to RRD using both replicated field trials and observational data from collaborators. Marker-trait associations for RRD resistance and consistent flower productivity are being identified to move RRD resistance efficiently into elite rose germplasm. Economic and marketing studies are being done to assess the economic effect of RRD on the rose industry, improve our understanding of consumer preferences, and identify barriers to rose sales.