Marc Cubeta

Our Vision is to provide a science-based platform for new agricultural practices enabling plant producers to manage their production ecosystems in a resource-efficient way with limited environmental footprint based on an in-depth understanding of key ecological functions in the soilplant interphase (rhizosphere). Our Motivation is to address the major research gaps in deciphering the complexity of microbemicrobe and microbe-plant interactions in the rhizosphere, and thereby provide new conceptual understanding on how these interactions influence plant performance. This motivation is timely due to recent developments in methodology and will enable us to provide the knowledge-base for unlocking the potential of the soil rhizobiota (microbes living on in the rhizosphere) as the key to development of sustainable and resilient plant production systems. Our Focus is to identify and quantify main determinants of microbial interactions and networks in the rhizosphere leading toward a resilient ecological unit, and thus reveal the importance and potential of microbial interactions and functions in the rhizosphere. The proposed research will take advantage of a multi-faceted, integrative and cross-disciplinary approach, which is fundamental for 1) achieving a deep understanding of the chemical and biological factors that control microbe-microbe and plantmicrobe interactions and functions under natural soil conditions, 2) establishing improved predictive models for microbial interactions in soil and 3) exploiting the microbial potential in plant-soil production systems for the benefit of plant growth and resilience. INTERACT will decode these important, yet often transient, microbial interactions in the complex soil matrix, in relation to soil biogeochemical status, water stress as well as pathogen attack, and the impact of these interactions on plant performance. We will challenge the currently accepted view among scientists that plants are the primary drivers for rhizobiome assembly. Hence, we will determine whether in fact soil microbes, largely through chemical communication and signaling, play a greater role in rhizobiome development and function than has been previously appreciated. INTERACT will provide critical insight into the rhizosphere ecology, as a basis for actively influencing the assembly of effective rhizosphere communities to support plant health and productivity, either through biotechnological or agronomic approaches.

Boxwood is a high value ornamental nursery crop, with U.S. production of this widely planted evergreen shrub assessed at $103 million annually. Boxwood blight is a destructive disease of boxwood caused by two fungal pathogens in the Calonectria genus. The disease was first reported in the U.S. in late 2011, and has subsequently spread throughout 27 states. Knowledge of pathogen epidemiology and the role of environmental factors on the disease cycle can provide key information that can be used for effective cultural control, and can be incorporated into statistical models for disease forecasting and risk assessment. Many basic epidemiological questions about boxwood blight remain, including fundamental questions about how different pathogen genotypes and species differ in their behavior. Of particular concern is the impact of latent, asymptomatic infections of less susceptible cultivars and other hosts in the Buxaceae family, Pachysandra and Sarcoccocca, and how these hosts affect persistence of the pathogen in the environment. This project will combine field and growth chamber experiments to test the affects of pathogen genotype, boxwood cultivar, environment and phenotypic variables such as host susceptibility, pathogen latency, virulence, and disease incidence. A standardized screening protocol will be optimized, both in the laboratory and the field. With research done under controlled conditions in the laboratory and with a broad understanding of how plants will react to a multitude of isolates, it will be easier to categorize the sources of variability seen in field studies performed in different regions of the country and thus be able to standardize such studies. Research will make use of extensive resources previously developed in each of the Cooperator laboratories, including comparative genomic datasets for the pathogen, a collection of >500 pathogen isolates, and field sites where the disease has been resident for at least five years containing plants of differing susceptibility. The objectives of this project are: Objective 1: Determine how environmental variables and pathogen diversity intersect to influence disease severity and host susceptibility in the boxwood blight pathosystem. Objective 2: Determine how latent infections and the build-up of pathogen inoculum may be influenced by pathogen or host genotype in the boxwood blight pathosystem.

Soils play a fundamental role in myriad global processes. The need to understand the flow of elements, energy, and water through soils is immense and widely accepted across the geosciences community. Yet, the number of scientists trained with specific soils expertise is rapidly declining. The BESST REU Site utilizes a diverse, multi-disciplinary team of scientists to deliver individualized student research experiences in state-of-the art soil science topics, synergized through unifying themes and team training opportunities. Specific objectives are to: i) recruit outstanding students without extensive previous experience in soil science, with an emphasis on those from under-represented groups; ii) train these students by providing a substantive research experience and exposure to broad opportunities in basic and environmental soil science; and iii) develop a pool of future professionals empowered to advance understanding of soils in the geoscience community. Activities are supported by a university with well-developed infrastructure for undergraduate student research, and hosted by a department with a long-standing tradition of international excellence. Student recruitment is pursued through departmental and university collaboration with undergraduate-serving institutions, HBCUs, and national undergraduate research organizations. The program is assessed by external experts to ensure that it is rigorously evaluated and didactic impact maximized. The intellectual merit of the REU Site lies in constructing a critically needed pipeline for the next generation of geoscience researchers, equipped to address wide-ranging basic and environmental research problems in soils. Broader impacts are derived from training a diverse group of students to engage in addressing important societal and ecological issues throughout their careers. The REU site seeks to develop a new paradigm for soil science, extending student recruitment and training beyond traditional foundations in agriculture, and transforming soil science into an integral part of the geoscience research community. Student research opportunities highlight relationships between human activities and terrestrial environments, which are central topics in modern soil science that are broadly applicable to many other sub-disciplines of the Earth and environmental sciences.

Cooperator (NCSU / NCARS) will conduct research in partnership with Sponsor (USDA ARS) with the following aims: Objective 1: Determine how environmental variables and pathogen diversity intersect to influence disease severity and host susceptibility in the boxwood blight pathosystem. Objective 2: Determine how latent infections and the build-up of pathogen inoculum may be influenced by pathogen or host genotype in the boxwood blight pathosystem.

North Carolina State University (Cooperator) and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) desire to enter into this Agreement for the purpose of supporting research to be carried out at ARS and Cooperator facilities. ARS desires the Cooperator to provide goods and services necessary to carry out research of mutual interest within the NEA (BARC/MNGDBL). The specific objective of this work is to analyze, review and update host and taxonomic information for plant pathogenic fungi for the U.S. National Fungus COllections specimens.

This project is will provide a unique opportunity for an early career scientist to develop new technical skills and reach professional development goals, while performing research that is relevant to the mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The research component of the project addresses an emerging fungal plant pathogen in the U.S. that cause boxwood blight and pose a significant threat to the ornamental industry. The three primary research objectives are to 1) identify single nucleotide polymorphism genetic markers in a collection of 80 pathogen isolates, 2) use these data to test the hypothesis that boxwood blight pathogens were introduced into the U.S., and 3) determine if previously identified pathogen genes show evidence of positive selection. The outcomes of this research will contribute to future efforts to prevent further pathogen dissemination and enable integration of information on pathogen genetics and evolution into the development of sustainable disease management strategies. Beyond the research goals, the early career scientist will receive extensive training in the generation and analysis of genomic data and have opportunities to interact with the research communities at North Carolina State University and USDA.

North Carolina State University and the Agricultural Research Service desire to enter into this Agreement for the purpose of supporting research to be carried out at ARS and Cooperator facilities. ARS desires the Cooperator to provide goods and services necessary to carry out research of mutual interest within the NEA (BARC/MNGDBL). Specifically, the objective of this work is to analyze, review and update host and taxonomic information for plant pathogenic fungi for the U.S. National Fungus Collections specimens.

North Carolina Stat University (Cooperator) and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) desire to enter nto this Agreement for the purpose of supporting research to be carried out at ARS and Cooperator facilities. ARS desires the Cooperator to provide goods and services necessary to carry out research of mutual interest with the NEA (BARC/MNGDBL). Specifically, the objective of this work is to analyze, review and update the scientific information for plant pathogenic fungi. This work will allow accurate communication about emerging, invasive, and existing plant pathogenic fungi in the United States.

North Carolina State University (Cooperator) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) desire to enter into this agreement for the purpose of supporting research to be carried out at ARS and Cooperator facilities. ARS desires the Cooperator to provide goods and services necessary to carry out research of mutual interest within the MNGDBL, BARC. The Agency location is engaged in research addressing Plant Genetic Resources, Genomics and Genetic Improvement.

Boxwood blight caused by Calonectria pseudonaviculata (Cps) is a destructive disease, threatening the nation������������������s boxwood industry and many historical plantings. This disease rapidly defoliates boxwood plants, rendering them unsuitable for commercial sale and destroying established landscape plantings. This project aims to produce a number of novel mitigation technologies, fill several major knowledge gaps about Cps that will enhance the performance of these new (as well as existing) mitigation methods, improve the reliability and utility of the disease forecasting model, and promote a systems approach to boxwood blight.