Why is this research important for Alberta ag?
This research addresses the potential for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) prions to contaminate Alberta agricultural crops. CWD is a members of a class of prion diseases that include Creutzfeldt Jakob disease in humans and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BES: "mad cow disease"). CWD is a contagious and fatal brain disease of deer, elk, and moose. Its expanding range overlaps major regions of Alberta crop production. Infectious prions are shed in saliva of CWD infected deer and elk throughout the 2+ year incubation period.
CWD prions are exceptionally stable and persistent in the environment resulting in CWD contamination of Alberta crops. The possibility of CWD being spread through the transportation of CWD prions in animal forage has already impacted foraged exportation. Norway has banned the transportation of hay and straw from any province or state with CWD. There is also a perceived danger to humans due to the presence of CWD in human food crops.
This research will examine the ability of CWD, present in infectious saliva, to bind the variety of Alberta crops. Prions are notoriously sticky, binding to a wide range of materials. Research has shown that the level of binding of CWD to plants is species-specific; the ability of CWD prions to be retained on crop surfaces is, however, not known.
This research will determine:
The impact of rainwater on CWD removal from plant surfaces,
Whether freezing, drying, and/or application of different formulations (e.g. humic acids) affect the binding and retention of CWD prions to plants, and;
Determine if significant amounts of CWD can be taken up by plants.
What benefits can producers expect from this research?
This research will provide vital data for risk assessments of CWD infectivity on agricultural plants. Findings will provide guidance to wildlife management programs and public health agencies. This research will also benefit First Nations and Metis peoples as CWD affects cervids, species with cultural and subsistence relationships to indigenous people.
How will these research findings reach producers on-farm?
Findings will be shared at seminars, presented at national and international conferences, published in peer-reviewed publications, exchanged in national and international research forums, and included in undergraduate course lessons.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.