For over three decades, Dr. George Sundin, a Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University, has focused on plant-pathogen interactions affecting Michigan's tree fruit industry. Collaborating with the Michigan Apple and Cherry Committees, Sundin addresses key challenges in managing diseases like fire blight in apples and bacterial canker in cherries.
Sundin's research encompasses fungicide resistance and evaluates new bactericides and fungicides for tree fruit disease management. "The goals of my Extension program are to provide timely information and recommendations on the management of tree fruit diseases to growers in Michigan and in other fruit-growing regions," Sundin stated.
Dr. George Sundin
Recently, Sundin's team secured a $1 million USDA grant to advance treatments for fire blight and bacterial canker. Diane Smith of the Michigan Apple Committee emphasized the importance of disease control, stating, "Given the damage diseases cause in Michigan apple orchards, disease control is a high priority for the Michigan Apple Committee."
Building on bacteriophage research funded by the Michigan Apple and Cherry Committees, Sundin aims to develop phages as a commercial solution against tree fruit diseases. His research, conducted at MSU's Plant Pathology farm and the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center, focuses on applying phages during flowering to prevent disease spread.
Sundin explained the project's objectives: "We need, first of all, to understand the different phages required for each disease and then understand specifically how the phage works on each of those pathogens in the field."
The project involves collaboration with experts from North Carolina State University, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and MSU's Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center.
Source: MSU