Disease-resistant superfoods that benefit the environment (RIDOUT_J17ICASE)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of East Anglia
Department Name: Graduate Office
Abstract
Baby Leaf Kale (Brassica oleracea, BLK) has been popularised as a super food through the growing health awareness and weight loss movement in the USA and Europe. The use of BLK in a wide range of packaged food and drinks' products globally has more than trebled in recent years and the global kale market is currently worth circa £150 million. One of the major challenges facing BLK production is downy mildew (Peronospora parasitica) which can spread rapidly through the crop and render it unsaleable, a threat increasing due to the imminent withdrawal of agrochemicals for environmental reasons.
An effective way of controlling diseases without chemicals is through the use of resistance genes which can be bred into cultivars. Major 'R' gene resistance can provide effective disease control and has been widely used in horticulture. However, this type of resistance can be susceptible to 'break-down' due to pathogen evolution. Quantitative disease resistance (QDR) can also be effective and is considered more likely to be durable and long-lasting than R-gene mediated resistance. This project investigates both R-gene resistance and QDR in BLK so that they can be used in combination to provide effective and durable resistance.
The project involves the genetic mapping of both R and QDR mediated resistance to identify genetic markers for breeding resistance to downy mildew. The student will learn a variety of plant pathology procedures and perform genetic mapping to identify resistance gene loci. They will also evaluate early resistance responses to conserved pathogen associated molecular patterns to evaluate their contribution to QDR using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) involving next generation sequencing to accelerate breeding marker development.
An effective way of controlling diseases without chemicals is through the use of resistance genes which can be bred into cultivars. Major 'R' gene resistance can provide effective disease control and has been widely used in horticulture. However, this type of resistance can be susceptible to 'break-down' due to pathogen evolution. Quantitative disease resistance (QDR) can also be effective and is considered more likely to be durable and long-lasting than R-gene mediated resistance. This project investigates both R-gene resistance and QDR in BLK so that they can be used in combination to provide effective and durable resistance.
The project involves the genetic mapping of both R and QDR mediated resistance to identify genetic markers for breeding resistance to downy mildew. The student will learn a variety of plant pathology procedures and perform genetic mapping to identify resistance gene loci. They will also evaluate early resistance responses to conserved pathogen associated molecular patterns to evaluate their contribution to QDR using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) involving next generation sequencing to accelerate breeding marker development.
Publications
Gomez Gutierrez A.
(2018)
Novel Approaches to Downy Mildew Resistance in Brassica oleracea
| Description | One of the individuals included in the original DM screening was identified to have a broad-spectrum resistance to all Downy Mildew isolates collected 2016-2020 from different fields in the UK and USA. The resistance present in this individual was used to improve the commercial CN seeds kale variety called Dwarf Blue to increase the overall resistance to downy mildew in the fields. This resistance was also mapped to the Brassica oleracea chromosome 2, and markers were developed for marked assisted selection, which will help establish a future strategy of pyramiding resistant genes in susceptible commercial kale varieties and improve their overall resistance in the fields. |
| Exploitation Route | The resistance identified in several individuals is being used by CN seeds to improve the tolerance to downy mildew in their commercial kale varieties. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Description | My PhD is partnered with CN Seeds, a seed company based on Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. My initial screening using UK Downy Mildew isolates and 400 wild kale accessions help them find and confirm some natural resistance to DM present in several kale accessions. Some of these individuals were used to create resistant commercial varieties to DM at the CN Seeds and the JIC facilities. |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Downy Mildew propagation and infection assays |
| Organisation | Crop Research Institute |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I taught Irena Petrželová group how to work with Downy Mildew (Hyaloperonospora brassicae) in a laboratory environment. I taught them how to propagate the pathogen in susceptible cultivars and how to do infection assays. I also provided a set of 6 DM isolates from the UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | They will provide me with other Downy Mildew isolates from other countries outside of the UK. |
| Impact | Irena's laboratory is now able to perform disease assays using Downy Mildew in their Brassica oleracea accessions. This will allow them to find new resistances to DM in their own material which will help them to achieve their final objective to increase plants tolerances to biotic and abiotic stresses and adapt the varieties to the specific requirements of organic and low-input production processes. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Find new sources of Downy Mildew resistance in wild kale accessions. |
| Organisation | CN Seeds Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | I was able to screen 400 accessions at the CN Seeds labs and find several resistant kale accessions that were used to create several mapping populations. This populations are part of my PhD and I am using them to map downy mildew resistance at a genetic level. |
| Collaborator Contribution | They allow me to use their facilities at CN Seeds to screen all 400 accessions over a period of 3 months. |
| Impact | - Based on my Downy Mildew screenings and previous ones made by them, a DM resistant kale variety was created. - Several mapping populations were created by CN Seeds and are now part of my Research. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Improving Vegetable Crops in Nepal |
| Organisation | University of East Anglia |
| Department | School of International Development UEA |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Including the Nepl Project in the portfolio of projects in the new Norwich Institute for Sustainble Development |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners at UEA are contributing expertise in international development and business studies to address the research topic of improving vegetabe production in Nepal |
| Impact | Too early |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Norwich science festival - Brassica diversity workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I run a workshop with my colleague Lola Gonzalez Penades teaching young students the biological diversity present in the Brassica genus. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://norwichsciencefestival.co.uk/ |
| Description | Norwich science festival - Mendelian genetics workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Teach young students at the Norwich Science Festival the basics of Mendelian genetics using little games. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://norwichsciencefestival.co.uk/ |
| Description | Novel Approaches to Durable Disease Resistance in Crop Improvement |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I gave an lecture at Imperial College for the module on Symbiosis, Immunity and Breeding to undergraduate and postgraduate students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | UKBRC2018 - Oral presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The UK Brassica Research Community (UK-BRC) consists of a wide range of research groups, breeders and other end-users, holds annual meetings of academic and industry-based scientists, and operates a mailing list of 180 members. This website provides details of research projects, resources and interests of its members. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://ukbrc.hosted.york.ac.uk/about.html |
| Description | UKBRC2019 attendance |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The UK Brassica Research Community (UK-BRC) consists of a wide range of research groups, breeders and other end-users, holds annual meetings of academic and industry-based scientists, and operates a mailing list of 180 members. This website provides details of research projects, resources and interests of its members. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://ukbrc.hosted.york.ac.uk/about.html |