Ampelomyces spp. are the best-known natural mycoparasites of powdery mildew fungi worldwide. Their hyphae and pycnidia commonly occur inside powdery mildew colonies in the field. Ampelomyces strains can be isolated from powdery mildew mycelia and maintained on artificial media. Some strains have already been commercialized to be used as biological control agents (BCAs) of powdery mildew infections of some crops in Europe, USA, India, Korea, and elsewhere. This project will focus on the isolation of new Ampelomyces spp. strains from diverse powdery mildew species in Australia, their genotyping based on already existing molecular markers, such as nrDNA ITS, ACT1, RPB1 and EukNR sequences and microsatellites, and selection of promising BCA candidates based on mycoparasitic activities of the newly isolated strains. Genomic tools and genetic transformation will be applied to study, and enhance, the biocontrol potential of the selected strains.

Professor Levente Kiss

• Professor Gavin Ash

• Centre for Crop Health

• Crop and Pasture Production

• Doctor of Philosophy (DPHD)