Abstract:

Building on preceding EU projects (BIO4-CT96-0318, FAIRl-CT95-0905), potato and tomato plants will be generated with robust and durable resistances against root knot and cyst nematodes. The resistances will be based on the creation of multiple barriers. Because basic mechanisms of plant-nematode interactions will be studied and disrupted, the outcome of this project will also provide a means to engineer resistance against other plant parasitic nematodes. To increase the chance of public acceptance, the engineered resistance will be highly specific for the target organisms and the expression of the anti-nematode genes will be reduced to a minimum outside the sites of interest.

Objectives:

The objective of this proposal is to identify crucial elements in the interaction between plant parasitic nematodes and plants, and to exploit these elements for engineering broad and durable resistance against root knot and cyst nematodes by creating multiple barriers. First of all, the nematode will be prevented from migrating to the site where it starts the initiation of a feeding cell. Secondly - if it does this spot - it will be prevented from forminf a feeding cell. Proper targeting will be guaranteed because either nematode responsive elements from available promoters will be used or sets of promoters with common activity at the site of interest only. Finally, these promoters will be used to drive a very localised expression of multiple nematode-disturbing genes, and the resulting plants will be tested for cyst and root knot nematode resistance.

Contacts

Coordinator

• Hans HELDER / Wageningen University Laboratory of Nematology / NETHERLANDS

EC Scientific Officer

• Massimo BURIONI / European Commission Theme 1 Key Action 5.1.1 / BELGIUM

Participant

• Wim van CAMP / Crop Design NV BELGIUM
• Facultad e Ciencias del Medio Ambiente Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha / SPAIN
• Pierre ABAD / INRA FRANCE
• Florian GRUNDLER / Institut fur Phytopathologie Universitat Kiel / GERMANY
• John JONES / Scottish Crop Research Institute Nematology Department / UNITED KINGDOM
• Keith LINDSEY / University of Durham Department of Biological Sciences / UNITED KINGDOM
• Vlaams Interuniverstair Institut voor Biotechnologie Laboratorium voor Genetica / BELGIUM
• Wladyslaw GOLINOWSKI / Warsaw Agricultural University Department of Botany (SGGW) / POLAND