© IRC. 2023
World's leading experts converge to build a bacterial blight-resistant future at the 7th International Conference on Bacterial Blight
Across rice-producing regions in Asia and Africa, bacterial blight (BB) of rice caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) remains one of the most destructive diseases affecting rice. In susceptible varieties, particularly with high nitrogen fertilizer, an outbreak of the disease can cause up to 70% in yield loss.
BB kills seedlings within two to three weeks and those who survive are stunted and produce grains of poor quality. When infected with the disease, seedlings wilt along with the presence of yellow streaks on the leaves. This syndrome in the plant is called Kresek, the most devastating manifestation of BB. Eventually, the plant may die as the leaves turn gray and roll up. BB is however more commonly found to infect plants at maximum tillering stage leading to the typical leaf blight symptoms that significantly reduce photosynthesis and grain filling.
BB survives and thrives in many rice-growing environments in both temperate and tropical climates. Specifically, the microorganism favors temperatures between 25−34°C and relative humidity above 70%. The disease becomes more virulent with heavy rains and strong winds as its bacterial ooze spreads easier.
The occurrence of the disease affects not only the livelihood of farmers but food systems as well. In Asia, the disease hampers rice production despite many years of research and the development of bacterial blight-resistant cultivars. Meanwhile, the 2019 BB outbreak in Tanzania has propelled concern for the spread of the Asian BB strains in East Africa, which was initially not a threat in the region.
The effects of climate change makes it more challenging to control the incidence and severity of the disease. Bacterial blight is considered a post-typhoon disease because the strong winds cause leaf injuries that become direct entry points for Xoo infection. Further, wet field conditions are suitable for the bacteria to thrive. With more frequent and more severe typhoons being formed, the urgency to control the disease becomes indisputable.
Clearly, the impact of BB on global rice productivity continues to merit increased scientific effort to understand how to combat the disease.
Given the increasing challenges in controlling BB, the 7th International Conference on Bacterial Blight (ICBB07) on October 17-18 will create an opportunity for the scientific community to highlight the latest discoveries and innovations in this field. The goal of the ICBB07 is to help accelerate food systems transformation through the holistic management of bacterial blight, promote awareness, and cite how the disease affects food security.
Some of the world’s leading scientists and researchers working on genetics, epidemiology, molecular biology of interactions between Xoo and rice plants, virulence and host resistance mechanisms, as well as disease management will present their work as part of the concerted effort to control the disease. Developing rice cultivars resistant to bacterial blight is also a vital area to be discussed.
The ICBB07 will provide a forum for crucial discussions about the best strategies for managing BB and evolution of Xoo virulence. The event will link upstream research with global disease management applications and disseminate information to control the disease in rice-producing countries.
ICBB07 is intended to exhibit technological advances aimed at controlling disease spread. The PathoTracer is one of these, as the process reduces the time it takes to identify the contemporary and evolving strains of bacteria causing bacterial blight.
Approaches to monitor pathogen populations, in addition to the PathoTracer, are essential in disease management. This might include AI-powered smartphone apps that farmers can use to improve surveillance, GIS systems for real-time disease information, and molecular analysis pipelines and infrastructure for strains and crops.
The assessment of the strategic deployment of effective resistance across pathogen populations also helps to reduce the occurrence of BB. Preparation includes stacking effective R-genes] and diversifying the R-gene pool. Other disease management methods include molecular analysis of all known resistance and susceptibility genes, analysis of molecular interactions in bacterial virulence and host resistance, understanding resistance mechanisms and pathway analysis, and studying the processes by which the pathogen overcomes resistance.
To advance the scientific findings on managing the disease, ICBB07 will leverage synergy among participating government agencies, scientists, researchers, and other stakeholders to catalyze global steps to building a bacterial blight-resistant future. Through the event, participants become exposed to research findings on bacterial blight of rice.
"Together, we are paving the way towards a bacterial blight-resistant future. Let's continue to innovate, collaborate, and inspire change for a world less constrained by bacterial blight. The 7th International Conference on Bacterial Blight has continued to ignite a global movement, and with the expertise of leading minds uniting, we are closer than ever to achieving our shared vision. Together, we will overcome this challenge, and our determination will leave a lasting impact on generations to come,” Dr. Casiana Vera-Cruz, ICBB07 Chair.
Register here and join us at the 7th International Conference on Bacterial Blight, where world-leading experts will gather to share knowledge, forge partnerships, and drive transformative change.
