Project Title:
Influence of Management on the Fungal Microbiome of North American Grapes
Program Year:
2023
Major:
Environmental Science
Supervisor:
Elsa Petit
This summer I got to work with Professor Petit, focusing on the impact of management on the soil microbiome of North American grapes. I got a lot of hands-on experience, scaling grape disease at the vineyards of Cold Springs Orchard, many of which are caused by fungi. For my CAFE Scholars poster presentation, I analyzed the data collected by a previous student. There were significant differences in diversity indexes and the presence/absence of both beneficial and harmful fungi. I am in the process of collecting data for my own survey that will expand upon the work I did this summer. I hope to focus more on the different practices used in managed samples, to make more direct conclusions about the microbiome.
