Objectives
The main objective of this research focus is to enhance the understanding of interactions between viruses and their plant hosts, especially in the case of tomatoes and cucurbits.
The plant-virus-vector interactions research focus of VIRTIGATION will concentrate in this regard in particular on the tobamovirus Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) and the begomovirus Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) with its associated DNA satellites.
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Approach
In this research focus, VIRTIGATION will focus on the introgression of natural resistance from wild relatives to cultivated tomatoes in order to develop tomato lines resistant to ToBRFV.
Furthermore, the recent discovery that co-infections of resistant tomato plants by betasatellites with Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) can overcome the Ty-1 / Ty-3 resistance requires the characterization and introgression of resistance against DNA satellites using TYLCV resistant plants. These new resistant lines will be screened for resistance to ToLCNDV. The genes involved in the various resistant lines will be studied, as well as the molecular pathways associated with the disease phenotypes. The understanding of these interactions at the molecular level will allow developing novel ways in combating these two viruses and their whitefly insect vector. With these studies, VIRTIGATION also will enhance the understanding of plant-pathogen interactions, as well as develop new resistant plants.
Key partners involved
The Israeli Volcani Centre – Agricultural Research Organization, will be leading this research focus in VIRTIGATION, benefitting from its longstanding, ample experience with both begomoviruses and tobamoviruses, including through its identification of new emerging viral diseases (ToBRFV) and the development of natural resistance in plants.
The Volcani Centre will be closely supported in its efforts by KU Leuven, WU – Wageningen University, WR – Wageningen Research, INRAE – the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, JKI – the Julius Kühn Institute (Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants in Germany), CSIC – the Spanish National Research Council, NRI-UoG – the Natural Resource Institute within the University of Greenwich, and UNICT – the University of Catania.
