Volatile Organic Compound Research

Dr. William Cheung is conducting tests at Lindcove REC to profile the response of a Washington navel orange tree infected with citrus tristeza virus (CTV) compared to an uninfected tree.  A mobile sensor employing differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) records and analyzes the biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) signature emitted from the infected and noninfected plants.  The DMS BVOC analysis is designed to be an initial screening tool for rapid sampling of pathogens in citrus.  Studies are also underway in Florida to determine the citrus plant response to the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter spp., the causal agent of the Huanglongbing disease (HLB).  Dr. Cheung is working in Professor Cristina Davis’ group (Dept.  of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UC Davis)  in collaboration with Professor  Abhaya Dandekar (Dept. of Plant Sciences, UC Davis) and Professor Oliver Fiehn, (Genomic Core, UC Davis).