Strategies to increase durability of host resistance for effective control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Hertfordshire
Department Name: School of Life and Medical Sciences
Abstract
Phoma stem canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is a damaging disease on oilseed rape in the UK, causing annual yield losses > £100M despite use of fungicides costing £20M. With recent loss of the most effective fungicides (e.g. Punch C) through EU legislation and predicted global warming, potential yield losses will increase. Use of host resistance to control this disease is becoming ever more important. However, new sources of resistance are often rendered ineffective due to pathogen population changes.
The aims of this project are to monitor the emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans and to develop new control strategies to increase durability of host resistance.
To maintain effectiveness of cultivar resistance against L. maculans, this project will use molecular technology to investigate the differences between different regions in distribution of virulent races of L. maculans in populations assessed from spore samples and from crop plant samples. Results will be used to guide deployment of cultivars with suitable resistance for the region where the corresponding avirulent pathogen races are predominant.
Resistance against L. maculans relies on major resistance (R) gene-mediated qualitative resistance and minor gene-mediated quantitative resistance. The fungus L. maculans has high evolutionary potential to overcome host resistance. Resistance can be rendered ineffective in 2-3 years due to L. maculans population changes from avirulent to virulent. This project will investigate the molecular events leading to virulent mutations in L. maculans by exploiting new genomic information about L. maculans.
Modelling work shows that the range and severity of phoma stem canker will increase under predicted global warming. To investigate the effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature) on operation of different R genes for resistance against L. maculans, severity of phoma stem canker on cultivars with different R genes will be assessed in field experiments in different regions (i.e. different environments) and in controlled environment experiments at different temperatures.
Recent work showed that R gene-mediated resistance against L. maculans (an apoplastic pathogen) operates by recognition of pathogen effectors through receptor-like proteins (RLPs). The sequences of R genes stable at increased temperatures and the genome sequences of host Brassica napus and its related species B. rapa and B. oleracea will be used to identify candidate R genes coding for RLPs.
New knowledge obtained from this project will be used to develop strategies to improve control of phoma stem canker by using effective cultivar resistance. Improved control of this disease will benefit growers by reducing yield losses. It will also address the challenge of food security. The environment will also benefit from reduced use of fungicides.
The aims of this project are to monitor the emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans and to develop new control strategies to increase durability of host resistance.
To maintain effectiveness of cultivar resistance against L. maculans, this project will use molecular technology to investigate the differences between different regions in distribution of virulent races of L. maculans in populations assessed from spore samples and from crop plant samples. Results will be used to guide deployment of cultivars with suitable resistance for the region where the corresponding avirulent pathogen races are predominant.
Resistance against L. maculans relies on major resistance (R) gene-mediated qualitative resistance and minor gene-mediated quantitative resistance. The fungus L. maculans has high evolutionary potential to overcome host resistance. Resistance can be rendered ineffective in 2-3 years due to L. maculans population changes from avirulent to virulent. This project will investigate the molecular events leading to virulent mutations in L. maculans by exploiting new genomic information about L. maculans.
Modelling work shows that the range and severity of phoma stem canker will increase under predicted global warming. To investigate the effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature) on operation of different R genes for resistance against L. maculans, severity of phoma stem canker on cultivars with different R genes will be assessed in field experiments in different regions (i.e. different environments) and in controlled environment experiments at different temperatures.
Recent work showed that R gene-mediated resistance against L. maculans (an apoplastic pathogen) operates by recognition of pathogen effectors through receptor-like proteins (RLPs). The sequences of R genes stable at increased temperatures and the genome sequences of host Brassica napus and its related species B. rapa and B. oleracea will be used to identify candidate R genes coding for RLPs.
New knowledge obtained from this project will be used to develop strategies to improve control of phoma stem canker by using effective cultivar resistance. Improved control of this disease will benefit growers by reducing yield losses. It will also address the challenge of food security. The environment will also benefit from reduced use of fungicides.
Technical Summary
Phoma stem canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is a damaging disease on oilseed rape in the UK, causing annual yield losses > £100M despite use of fungicides. With recent loss of the most effective fungicides through EU legislation and predicted global warming, potential yield losses will increase. Use of host resistance to control this disease is becoming ever more important. However, new sources of resistance are often rendered ineffective due to pathogen population changes. This project will monitor the emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans and prevent them from spreading into new regions; investigate molecular mechanisms of mutation from avirulent to virulence in L. maculans populations; understand the effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature) on durability of host resistance. New knowledge will be used to develop new control strategies by optimising deployment of host resistance and targeted fungicide application. This project will bring together a consortium of breeders, distributor, farmer and scientists to ensure effective control of phoma stem canker by directly applying knowledge from research into farming practice.
Planned Impact
The involvement of scientists, breeders, agricultural advisors and a farmer in this project will ensure that outcomes of this research are exploited directly to translate scientific outputs into practical improvements to current disease management strategies.
A major beneficiary of the project will be growers. New knowledge produced from this project will not only enable better control of phoma stem canker to increase yield (by reducing yield losses from the disease) but also help to reduce cost of fungicides (by using effective host resistance and targeted fungicide application to eliminate unnecessary sprays) to improve profitability. Therefore, this project will help growers to achieve more sustainable and profitable control of phoma stem canker in oilseed rape.
Another major beneficiary of the project will be plant breeders. It takes 10-15 years to produce a new cultivar with good resistance. Rapid breakdown of resistance in new cultivars is very costly to breeders. The project will investigate differences between regions in distribution of virulent races of L. maculans to guide deployment of cultivars with suitable resistance for the region where the corresponding pathogen avirulent races are predominant. This will increase the lifespan of cultivars by reducing the risk of breakdown of cultivar resistance. This project will also investigate differences between different resistance genes in response to increased temperature. This new knowledge will help breeders to develop cultivars with resistance that is both durable and temperature-resilient.
Agricultural advisors will also benefit from this project by providing better disease control advice. Using the new information about differences in pathogen populations between regions and differences in effects of environmental factors on resistance, agronomists can make recommendations on use of effective host resistance. Using the new information on timing of pathogen spore release, agronomists can make recommendations on timing of fungicide applications to improve fungicide application efficiency and avoid unnecessary fungicide sprays.
Agrochemical companies will also benefit from this project because targeted fungicide application will avoid extensive use of fungicide which may lead to the development of fungicide-insensitivity. Results from this research will help agrochemical companies to maintain or increase the lifespan of fungicides.
Ultimately the public and environment will benefit from reduced fungicide use through improved guidance on deployment of host resistance and targeted fungicide applications. Furthermore, improved disease control in oilseed rape crops will increase yield, which will contribute to national food security. Improved control of phoma stem canker will not only increase yield to contribute to food security, but also reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to contribute to climate change mitigation.
A major beneficiary of the project will be growers. New knowledge produced from this project will not only enable better control of phoma stem canker to increase yield (by reducing yield losses from the disease) but also help to reduce cost of fungicides (by using effective host resistance and targeted fungicide application to eliminate unnecessary sprays) to improve profitability. Therefore, this project will help growers to achieve more sustainable and profitable control of phoma stem canker in oilseed rape.
Another major beneficiary of the project will be plant breeders. It takes 10-15 years to produce a new cultivar with good resistance. Rapid breakdown of resistance in new cultivars is very costly to breeders. The project will investigate differences between regions in distribution of virulent races of L. maculans to guide deployment of cultivars with suitable resistance for the region where the corresponding pathogen avirulent races are predominant. This will increase the lifespan of cultivars by reducing the risk of breakdown of cultivar resistance. This project will also investigate differences between different resistance genes in response to increased temperature. This new knowledge will help breeders to develop cultivars with resistance that is both durable and temperature-resilient.
Agricultural advisors will also benefit from this project by providing better disease control advice. Using the new information about differences in pathogen populations between regions and differences in effects of environmental factors on resistance, agronomists can make recommendations on use of effective host resistance. Using the new information on timing of pathogen spore release, agronomists can make recommendations on timing of fungicide applications to improve fungicide application efficiency and avoid unnecessary fungicide sprays.
Agrochemical companies will also benefit from this project because targeted fungicide application will avoid extensive use of fungicide which may lead to the development of fungicide-insensitivity. Results from this research will help agrochemical companies to maintain or increase the lifespan of fungicides.
Ultimately the public and environment will benefit from reduced fungicide use through improved guidance on deployment of host resistance and targeted fungicide applications. Furthermore, improved disease control in oilseed rape crops will increase yield, which will contribute to national food security. Improved control of phoma stem canker will not only increase yield to contribute to food security, but also reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to contribute to climate change mitigation.
Organisations
- University of Hertfordshire (Lead Research Organisation)
- WOODHALL ESTATE (Collaboration)
- University of Copenhagen (Collaboration)
- Grove Farm, UK (Collaboration)
- KWS Group (Collaboration)
- Grainseed (Collaboration)
- University of Lodz (Collaboration)
- University of Hertfordshire (Collaboration)
- Monsanto (Collaboration)
- Weston Park Farm (Collaboration)
- Wageningen University & Research (Collaboration)
- University of Göttingen (Collaboration)
- Felix Cobbold Trust (Collaboration)
- LS Plant Breeding (Collaboration)
- DuPont (Collaboration)
- John Innes Centre (Collaboration)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (Collaboration)
- RSK ADAS Ltd (Collaboration)
- Perry Foundation (Collaboration)
- Hutchinson H L Ltd (Collaboration)
- Limagrain (Collaboration)
- Syntec Ltd (Collaboration)
- Mansoura University (Collaboration)
- Chadacre Agricultural Trust (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Bruce Fitt (Principal Investigator) | |
| Yongju Huang (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Bucur DE
(2022)
Azole fungicide sensitivity and molecular mechanisms of reduced sensitivity in Irish Pyrenopeziza brassicae populations.
in Pest management science
Cai X
(2017)
Evaluation of oilseed rape seed yield losses caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa in central China
in European Journal of Plant Pathology
Dewage C
(2018)
Host-pathogen interactions in relation to management of light leaf spot disease (caused by Pyrenopeziza brassicae) on Brassica species
in Crop and Pasture Science
Fitt B
(2015)
Arable Crop Disease Control, Environmental Change and Food Security
in Procedia Environmental Sciences
Fortune JA
(2022)
Leptosphaeria biglobosa inhibits the production of sirodesmin PL by L. maculans.
in Pest management science
| Description | Phoma stem canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is a damaging disease on oilseed rape in the UK, causing annual yield losses > £100M despite use of fungicides. With limited available effective fungicides and predicted global warming, potential yield losses will increase. Use of host resistance to control this disease is becoming ever more important. However, new sources of resistance are often rendered ineffective due to pathogen population changes. There is a need to monitor emergence of new pathogen virulent races, investigate molecular mechanisms of mutation to virulence, understand effects of environmental factors on effectiveness of resistance and identify resistance genes that are durable so that new control strategies can be developed to increase durability of host resistance. Key achievements: This project has provided new knowledge to increase durability of host resistance. The main activities and achievements/outcomes of this project are in the following five areas. (1) The emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans was monitored over three winter oilseed rape growing seasons (2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2017/2018). The proportions of races of L. maculans If thevirulent against the major resistance gene Rlm7 (the effective resistance gene currently used in UK oilseed rape cultivars) increased from 3% to 16% from 2015/2016 to 2017/2018. This indicates that the resistance gene Rlm7 is at risk of being overcome by the pathogen. There is a need to continue to monitor the pathogen populations for effective use of host resistance. (2) The molecular mechanisms of mutation to virulence in L. maculans for effector (pathogenicity) genes AvrLm1, AvrLm4, AvrLm6 and AvrLm7 were investigated. Mutation to virulence in AvrLm1 was mainly caused by whole gene deletion, while whole gene deletion was observed in only 6% of isolates carrying the virulent alleles of AvrLm4, whole gene deletion was not observed in isolates carrying the virulent alleles of AvrLm6, both whole gene deletion and point mutations were observed in isolates carrying the virulent alleles of AvrLm7. Additional work has been done to sequence the whole genomes of some of those isolates to understand the molecular events leading to virulence. (3) The effects of environmental factors on effectiveness of resistance of 11 winter oilseed rape cultivars for control of phoma stem canker were investigated at five different sites over three growing seasons. There were differences between sites, growing seasons or cultivars in phoma stem canker severity. In general, disease severity was more severe at Morley than at other sites. Cultivars with Rlm7 had less severe canker than other cultivars. There were differences between Rlm7 cultivars, with some Rlm7 cultivars having greater phoma stem canker severity in the last season (2017/2018) than in the previous two seasons. The cultivar Es-Astrid with quantitative resistance showed as a good level of control of phoma stem canker. Combination of Rlm7 with quantitative resistance is a good strategy to increase the durability of Rlm7-mediated resistance. (4) The most recent developments in pathogen and host genomics were used to search for host receptor genes for disease resistance. A total of ten genes related to resistance against L. maculans were found on chromosome A07 of the host Brassica napus. There is a need for further investigation of these genes to develop markers for marker-assisted breeding. (5) Targeted control strategies were developed and delivered to farmers during the course of this project. In each season, information on the timing. Ascospore release at four sites for guiding targeted fungicide applications was provided to consortium members and growers through Hutchinsons' agronomists. The information on pathogen races was provided to consortium members for improving breeding strategies and to guide deployment of cultivars with different resistance in different regions. |
| Exploitation Route | Industry members of the consortium will exploit the findings |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Description | A range of exploitation & dissemination activities have been done.The business case and commercial interest in the project outputs remains strong. Knowledge produced from this project has been passed onto agronomists (especially by Hutchinsons, who estimate that they have reached 13000 farmers per annum through their network of agronomists) and farmers for effective control of phoma stem canker, especially using the information about the timing of pathogen spore release to guide the timing of fungicide spray. We recommend that the industry continues to monitor the emergence of virulent races of L. maculans, which is vital for effective use of major resistance genes for control phoma stem canker. The data on ascospore release in different cropping seasons and in different regions will be used to construct models for predicting timing of ascospore release for optimising fungicide applications. There is a need to investigate mechanisms of host resistance and develop markers for resistance breeding. One of the breeders involved in this project estimated that UH research has benefitted his company by £70000 per year. Given that there were five breeders involved in the project, there is an estimated benefit of £350000 per year. Furthermore, during the course of this project, we observed that some of the Rlm7 cultivars were susceptible to the fungal pathogen Pyrenopeziza brassicae (causing light leaf spot on leaves, stems and pods of oilseed rape). Light leaf spot has recently become an important disease on oilseed rape in England. Previously, light leaf spot was a disease problem on oilseed rape in Scotland; it has now moved to England. We would like to investigate the interactions between these two pathogens on oilseed rape and to investigate host resistance for effective control of both of them. To do further research, we need different partners, such as breeders, farmers and distributors. The main barriers are funding resources and available time of business partners. We recommend that AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds join a future consortium to develop a scheme for deployment of different R genes and quantitative resistance in different regions according to pathogen population races for sustainable management of phoma stem canker. Similar schemes have already been developed in France, Canada and Australia. Standardization of nomenclature of host R genes and corresponding pathogen effector genes has been discussed at the Brassica Genetics Workshop in France (July 2018) and at the International Congress of Plant Pathology conference in Boston (August 2018). Collaborations between France, UK, Australia and Canada in effective use of host resistance for control of phoma stem canker have been discussed. Future funding for continuing the work on control of phoma stem canker in the UK will increase the profile and impact of UK agricultural research. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | Economic benefits to UK agricultural industry |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or Improved professional practice |
| Impact | It has been estimated that University of Hertfordshire research on oilseed rape has benefitted UK agriculture by £10-20M per annum. Benefits include understanding to improve resistance of oilseed rape crop cultivars against pathogens that cause diseases that cause losses of more than £150M per annum. This information can be exploited by crop breeders and ultimately by agricultural distributors and farmers. Improved understanding of disease epidemics can be used to improve forecasting of the risk of severe epidemics to guide decisions on fungicide timing. The University has also provided five post-doctoral researchers who have entered the agricultural /horticultural industry (Limagrain, Elsoms, LS Plant Breeding, RSK ADAS, Royal Horticultural Society) on completion of their doctorates. |
| Description | Influence on Chinese government policy in relation to import of oilseed rape seed from other countries |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Impact | In response to our work, in November 2009 the Chinese government issued a quarantine measure restricting import of oilseed rape seed to ports in regions without the crop, unless seed was certified free from the pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans. This pathogen causes phoma stem canker, a serious disease of oilseed rape. The Chinese decision to protect its crops from this invasive species affected trade with Canada and Australia, and thus to intergovernmental discussions. Our recommendations to prevent entry of the pathogen that have been implemented by China include testing imported seed, surveying crops and training farmers to recognise disease symptoms.Subsequently, recommendations about the risks of crop debris (dockage) in seed cargoes has resulted in discussions between China and Canada, resulting in a high level agreement witnessed by the two prime ministers. |
| URL | https://www.reuters.com/article/canada-china-canola-idUSL2N1BY1A0 |
| Description | Influence on Chinese government quarantine policy |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | This influenced Chinese quarantine policy in relation to import of oilseed rape seed into China from other countries. Further details of this influence are given in Zhang et al. (2014). Zhang X, White RP, Demir E, Jedryczka M, Lange RM, Islam M, Li ZQ, Huang YJ, Hall AM, Zhou G, Wang Z, Cai X, Skelsey P, Fitt BDL (2014). Leptosphaeria spp., phoma stem canker and potential spread of L. maculans on oilseed rape crops in China. Plant Pathology 63, 598-612 (Doi: 10.1111/ppa.12146) |
| Description | 16AGRITECHCAT5: Integrated control of Leptosphaeria pathogens on UK winter oilseed rape |
| Amount | £375,166 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/P00489X/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2016 |
| End | 10/2020 |
| Description | Genomics-led improvement of biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in mustard rape for economic and environmental sustainability |
| Amount | £1,764,019 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/R019819/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2018 |
| End | 07/2022 |
| Description | Novel pre-breeding germplasm for commercial development of sustainable traits in crops |
| Amount | £201,596 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/V01725X/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2021 |
| End | 04/2022 |
| Description | Oilseed Rape Genetic Improvement Network |
| Amount | £37,884 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | CH0104 |
| Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2018 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Population dynamics of Pyrenopeziza brassicae under Irish field conditions |
| Amount | € 92,000 (EUR) |
| Organisation | Walsh Fellowship Foundation |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | Ireland |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2022 |
| Description | Research Excellence Framework |
| Amount | £1,077,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Department | Research England |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2022 |
| End | 07/2025 |
| Description | Strategies to increase durability of host resistance for effective control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape |
| Amount | £116,649 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/M028348/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2015 |
| End | 08/2018 |
| Description | Sustainable yield of oilseed rape through improved resistance against Leptosphaeria maculans phoma stem canker |
| Amount | £95,042 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/N503848/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2015 |
| End | 09/2019 |
| Description | Understanding risks of severe phoma stem canker caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa on winter oilseed rape in the UK |
| Amount | £120,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | RD-2140021105 |
| Organisation | Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2015 |
| End | 03/2019 |
| Description | Analysis of early resistance against oilseed rape pathogens |
| Organisation | John Innes Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Uh is a partner in a project led by John Innes Centre, with partners in Germany (univ Goettingen, KWS), Poland (University Lodz), Denmark(Copenhagen Univ), Netherlands (Wageningen). UH is involved in field and controlled environment experiments studying early stage resistance of brassicas against pathogens causing phoma stem canker and light leaf spot. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Oilseed rape (OSR, Brassica napus L.) is a major crop grown worldwide for production of edible and industrial oil, biodiesel and protein containing animal feed. Diseases are a major factor limiting production, a threat increasing due to climate change and the imminent withdrawal of agrochemicals in Europe. Improved disease control is an urgent priority and for this breeders are increasingly using quantitative disease resistance (QDR) which is considered broad-spectrum and durable. the consortium is identifying and characterising QDR to the most important pathogens of OSR: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Verticillium spp, Leptosphaeria maculans, Alternaria brassicicola, Pyrenopeziza brassicae, and the model pathogens Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea. We are using a panel of 192 diverse OSR cultivars to screen for resistance against these pathogens in controlled environments and at field trial sites provided by our industrial partner, KWS. We are also quantifying induced defence responses to conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and measuring salicylic acid, lignin, phenylpropanoid, glucosinolate and indole metabolites that are implicated in QDR mechanisms. By combining this data with transcribed sequence information, we are identifying candidate genes involved with defence responses and QDR to the OSR pathogens. We are also studying specific transporter genes GTR1 and GTR2 that control the allocation of glucosinolates to seeds and may impact on QDR. |
| Impact | Mitrousia GK, Fell H, Gibbard C, Ridout CJ, Schoonbeek HJ, Stotz HU, Fitt BDL (2017) Potential identification of novel sources of resistance to pathogens in a Brassica diversity panel. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 213-219. Mitrousia G, Huang YJ, Noel K, Stotz H, Larkan N, Borhan H, Fitt B (2016) Effects of increased temperature on B. napus resistance against Leptosphaeria maculans. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 93. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Analysis of early resistance against oilseed rape pathogens |
| Organisation | KWS Group |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Uh is a partner in a project led by John Innes Centre, with partners in Germany (univ Goettingen, KWS), Poland (University Lodz), Denmark(Copenhagen Univ), Netherlands (Wageningen). UH is involved in field and controlled environment experiments studying early stage resistance of brassicas against pathogens causing phoma stem canker and light leaf spot. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Oilseed rape (OSR, Brassica napus L.) is a major crop grown worldwide for production of edible and industrial oil, biodiesel and protein containing animal feed. Diseases are a major factor limiting production, a threat increasing due to climate change and the imminent withdrawal of agrochemicals in Europe. Improved disease control is an urgent priority and for this breeders are increasingly using quantitative disease resistance (QDR) which is considered broad-spectrum and durable. the consortium is identifying and characterising QDR to the most important pathogens of OSR: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Verticillium spp, Leptosphaeria maculans, Alternaria brassicicola, Pyrenopeziza brassicae, and the model pathogens Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea. We are using a panel of 192 diverse OSR cultivars to screen for resistance against these pathogens in controlled environments and at field trial sites provided by our industrial partner, KWS. We are also quantifying induced defence responses to conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and measuring salicylic acid, lignin, phenylpropanoid, glucosinolate and indole metabolites that are implicated in QDR mechanisms. By combining this data with transcribed sequence information, we are identifying candidate genes involved with defence responses and QDR to the OSR pathogens. We are also studying specific transporter genes GTR1 and GTR2 that control the allocation of glucosinolates to seeds and may impact on QDR. |
| Impact | Mitrousia GK, Fell H, Gibbard C, Ridout CJ, Schoonbeek HJ, Stotz HU, Fitt BDL (2017) Potential identification of novel sources of resistance to pathogens in a Brassica diversity panel. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 213-219. Mitrousia G, Huang YJ, Noel K, Stotz H, Larkan N, Borhan H, Fitt B (2016) Effects of increased temperature on B. napus resistance against Leptosphaeria maculans. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 93. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Analysis of early resistance against oilseed rape pathogens |
| Organisation | University of Copenhagen |
| Country | Denmark |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Uh is a partner in a project led by John Innes Centre, with partners in Germany (univ Goettingen, KWS), Poland (University Lodz), Denmark(Copenhagen Univ), Netherlands (Wageningen). UH is involved in field and controlled environment experiments studying early stage resistance of brassicas against pathogens causing phoma stem canker and light leaf spot. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Oilseed rape (OSR, Brassica napus L.) is a major crop grown worldwide for production of edible and industrial oil, biodiesel and protein containing animal feed. Diseases are a major factor limiting production, a threat increasing due to climate change and the imminent withdrawal of agrochemicals in Europe. Improved disease control is an urgent priority and for this breeders are increasingly using quantitative disease resistance (QDR) which is considered broad-spectrum and durable. the consortium is identifying and characterising QDR to the most important pathogens of OSR: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Verticillium spp, Leptosphaeria maculans, Alternaria brassicicola, Pyrenopeziza brassicae, and the model pathogens Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea. We are using a panel of 192 diverse OSR cultivars to screen for resistance against these pathogens in controlled environments and at field trial sites provided by our industrial partner, KWS. We are also quantifying induced defence responses to conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and measuring salicylic acid, lignin, phenylpropanoid, glucosinolate and indole metabolites that are implicated in QDR mechanisms. By combining this data with transcribed sequence information, we are identifying candidate genes involved with defence responses and QDR to the OSR pathogens. We are also studying specific transporter genes GTR1 and GTR2 that control the allocation of glucosinolates to seeds and may impact on QDR. |
| Impact | Mitrousia GK, Fell H, Gibbard C, Ridout CJ, Schoonbeek HJ, Stotz HU, Fitt BDL (2017) Potential identification of novel sources of resistance to pathogens in a Brassica diversity panel. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 213-219. Mitrousia G, Huang YJ, Noel K, Stotz H, Larkan N, Borhan H, Fitt B (2016) Effects of increased temperature on B. napus resistance against Leptosphaeria maculans. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 93. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Analysis of early resistance against oilseed rape pathogens |
| Organisation | University of Göttingen |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Uh is a partner in a project led by John Innes Centre, with partners in Germany (univ Goettingen, KWS), Poland (University Lodz), Denmark(Copenhagen Univ), Netherlands (Wageningen). UH is involved in field and controlled environment experiments studying early stage resistance of brassicas against pathogens causing phoma stem canker and light leaf spot. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Oilseed rape (OSR, Brassica napus L.) is a major crop grown worldwide for production of edible and industrial oil, biodiesel and protein containing animal feed. Diseases are a major factor limiting production, a threat increasing due to climate change and the imminent withdrawal of agrochemicals in Europe. Improved disease control is an urgent priority and for this breeders are increasingly using quantitative disease resistance (QDR) which is considered broad-spectrum and durable. the consortium is identifying and characterising QDR to the most important pathogens of OSR: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Verticillium spp, Leptosphaeria maculans, Alternaria brassicicola, Pyrenopeziza brassicae, and the model pathogens Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea. We are using a panel of 192 diverse OSR cultivars to screen for resistance against these pathogens in controlled environments and at field trial sites provided by our industrial partner, KWS. We are also quantifying induced defence responses to conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and measuring salicylic acid, lignin, phenylpropanoid, glucosinolate and indole metabolites that are implicated in QDR mechanisms. By combining this data with transcribed sequence information, we are identifying candidate genes involved with defence responses and QDR to the OSR pathogens. We are also studying specific transporter genes GTR1 and GTR2 that control the allocation of glucosinolates to seeds and may impact on QDR. |
| Impact | Mitrousia GK, Fell H, Gibbard C, Ridout CJ, Schoonbeek HJ, Stotz HU, Fitt BDL (2017) Potential identification of novel sources of resistance to pathogens in a Brassica diversity panel. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 213-219. Mitrousia G, Huang YJ, Noel K, Stotz H, Larkan N, Borhan H, Fitt B (2016) Effects of increased temperature on B. napus resistance against Leptosphaeria maculans. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 93. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Analysis of early resistance against oilseed rape pathogens |
| Organisation | University of Lodz |
| Country | Poland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Uh is a partner in a project led by John Innes Centre, with partners in Germany (univ Goettingen, KWS), Poland (University Lodz), Denmark(Copenhagen Univ), Netherlands (Wageningen). UH is involved in field and controlled environment experiments studying early stage resistance of brassicas against pathogens causing phoma stem canker and light leaf spot. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Oilseed rape (OSR, Brassica napus L.) is a major crop grown worldwide for production of edible and industrial oil, biodiesel and protein containing animal feed. Diseases are a major factor limiting production, a threat increasing due to climate change and the imminent withdrawal of agrochemicals in Europe. Improved disease control is an urgent priority and for this breeders are increasingly using quantitative disease resistance (QDR) which is considered broad-spectrum and durable. the consortium is identifying and characterising QDR to the most important pathogens of OSR: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Verticillium spp, Leptosphaeria maculans, Alternaria brassicicola, Pyrenopeziza brassicae, and the model pathogens Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea. We are using a panel of 192 diverse OSR cultivars to screen for resistance against these pathogens in controlled environments and at field trial sites provided by our industrial partner, KWS. We are also quantifying induced defence responses to conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and measuring salicylic acid, lignin, phenylpropanoid, glucosinolate and indole metabolites that are implicated in QDR mechanisms. By combining this data with transcribed sequence information, we are identifying candidate genes involved with defence responses and QDR to the OSR pathogens. We are also studying specific transporter genes GTR1 and GTR2 that control the allocation of glucosinolates to seeds and may impact on QDR. |
| Impact | Mitrousia GK, Fell H, Gibbard C, Ridout CJ, Schoonbeek HJ, Stotz HU, Fitt BDL (2017) Potential identification of novel sources of resistance to pathogens in a Brassica diversity panel. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 213-219. Mitrousia G, Huang YJ, Noel K, Stotz H, Larkan N, Borhan H, Fitt B (2016) Effects of increased temperature on B. napus resistance against Leptosphaeria maculans. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 93. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Analysis of early resistance against oilseed rape pathogens |
| Organisation | Wageningen University & Research |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Uh is a partner in a project led by John Innes Centre, with partners in Germany (univ Goettingen, KWS), Poland (University Lodz), Denmark(Copenhagen Univ), Netherlands (Wageningen). UH is involved in field and controlled environment experiments studying early stage resistance of brassicas against pathogens causing phoma stem canker and light leaf spot. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Oilseed rape (OSR, Brassica napus L.) is a major crop grown worldwide for production of edible and industrial oil, biodiesel and protein containing animal feed. Diseases are a major factor limiting production, a threat increasing due to climate change and the imminent withdrawal of agrochemicals in Europe. Improved disease control is an urgent priority and for this breeders are increasingly using quantitative disease resistance (QDR) which is considered broad-spectrum and durable. the consortium is identifying and characterising QDR to the most important pathogens of OSR: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Verticillium spp, Leptosphaeria maculans, Alternaria brassicicola, Pyrenopeziza brassicae, and the model pathogens Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea. We are using a panel of 192 diverse OSR cultivars to screen for resistance against these pathogens in controlled environments and at field trial sites provided by our industrial partner, KWS. We are also quantifying induced defence responses to conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and measuring salicylic acid, lignin, phenylpropanoid, glucosinolate and indole metabolites that are implicated in QDR mechanisms. By combining this data with transcribed sequence information, we are identifying candidate genes involved with defence responses and QDR to the OSR pathogens. We are also studying specific transporter genes GTR1 and GTR2 that control the allocation of glucosinolates to seeds and may impact on QDR. |
| Impact | Mitrousia GK, Fell H, Gibbard C, Ridout CJ, Schoonbeek HJ, Stotz HU, Fitt BDL (2017) Potential identification of novel sources of resistance to pathogens in a Brassica diversity panel. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 213-219. Mitrousia G, Huang YJ, Noel K, Stotz H, Larkan N, Borhan H, Fitt B (2016) Effects of increased temperature on B. napus resistance against Leptosphaeria maculans. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 93. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Developing adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on diseases of wheat and maize and food production in Egypt. |
| Organisation | Mansoura University |
| Country | Egypt |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Our research team will be responsible for modelling climate change impacts and analysis of data provided by Egyptian partners |
| Collaborator Contribution | Egyptian partners will be responsible for experimental work and for dissemination of recommendations to Egyptian government and industry. |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary, including statisticians/modellers and plant pathologists/agronomists etc |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | INVESTIGATING MYCOVIRUS-MEDIATED SYSTEMIC RESISTANCE IN OILSEED RAPE |
| Organisation | University of Hertfordshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Oilseed rape, Brassica napus is attacked by many fungal diseases globally, especially light leaf spot (caused by Pyrenopeziza brassicae) and phoma stem canker (caused by Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa). Previously a quadrivirus (LbQV-1) was characterised that infects L. biglobosa, which then interferes with L. maculans pathogenicity. We are screening and characterising viruses in three fungal pathogens L. maculans, L. biglobosa and P. brassicae and quantifying how the host (oilseed rape) recognises and responds to each fungus. Virus-infected and virus-free isogenic lines of the Chinese L. biglobosa isolate (W10) have been revived to do challenge assays in planta. Endemic isogenic lines have also been produced. RT-PCR conditions were optimised, and LbQV-1 specific primers used to confirm virus presence by dsRNA isolation. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underpinning the observed phenotypes, samples were collected from different parts of challenge inoculated plants (i.e. stem, leaf, root, petiole etc.) and compared in terms of gene regulation using next-generation sequencing and quantitative PCR. Field isolates across Europe were collected and, to date, 48 L. maculans, 63 P. brassicae and 19 L. biglobosa isolates have been screened. Seven L. biglobosa isolates have been confirmed to contain LbQV-1, and one isolate from Canada with novel bands of viral dsRNA. Nine samples of British L. maculans have tested positive to the first incidence of a very large dsRNA strand, yet to be sequenced. None of the P. brassicae isolates from six countries across northern Europe appeared to be virus infected. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of Hertfordshire provides funding for the project and supervision of the student doing the practical work. |
| Impact | Presentation at International Congress of Plant Pathology, Lyon, France, August 2023. INVESTIGATING MYCOVIRUS-MEDIATED SYSTEMIC RESISTANCE IN OILSEED RAPE. Locke-Gotel J, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ, Kotta-Loizou I and Coutts R Collaboration multidisciplinary, involving plant pathologists and virologists |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Integrated control of Leptosphaeria pathogens on UK oilseed rape |
| Organisation | DuPont |
| Department | DuPont (UK) Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker is a major disease of oilseed rape in the UK, causing yield losses > £100M p.a. The disease is caused by two related pathogens that attack in different ways: Leptosphaeria maculans (Lm) and L. biglobosa (Lb). Current control focuses only on Lm. Recent work showed that Lb can cause substantial yield losses and is less sensitive to some triazole fungicides than Lm. The pathogen Lb is a growing threat to UK oilseed rape production since no existing methods control it. This project will investigate stem canker epidemics caused by Lb and develop new tools/strategies to control them. To achieve this, we will (1) survey severity of phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Lb; (2) exploit new oilseed rape genomic data to identify genes for resistance against Lb; (3) determine efficacy of new non-triazole fungicides for control of both Lb and Lm; and (4) use Lb genomic information to investigate mechanisms of fungicide insensitivity in Lb; (5) develop new integrated control strategies. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved in field trials and consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, Cai X, Karandeni-Dewage CS, Gajula LH, Javaid A, Li GQ, Fitt BDL (2016). Understanding phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa in the UK and China. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 43. Javaid A, Gajula H, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ (2017) Investigating the risk of severe phoma stem canker caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa on winter oilseed rape in UK. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 53-57. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Integrated control of Leptosphaeria pathogens on UK oilseed rape |
| Organisation | Grove Farm, UK |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker is a major disease of oilseed rape in the UK, causing yield losses > £100M p.a. The disease is caused by two related pathogens that attack in different ways: Leptosphaeria maculans (Lm) and L. biglobosa (Lb). Current control focuses only on Lm. Recent work showed that Lb can cause substantial yield losses and is less sensitive to some triazole fungicides than Lm. The pathogen Lb is a growing threat to UK oilseed rape production since no existing methods control it. This project will investigate stem canker epidemics caused by Lb and develop new tools/strategies to control them. To achieve this, we will (1) survey severity of phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Lb; (2) exploit new oilseed rape genomic data to identify genes for resistance against Lb; (3) determine efficacy of new non-triazole fungicides for control of both Lb and Lm; and (4) use Lb genomic information to investigate mechanisms of fungicide insensitivity in Lb; (5) develop new integrated control strategies. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved in field trials and consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, Cai X, Karandeni-Dewage CS, Gajula LH, Javaid A, Li GQ, Fitt BDL (2016). Understanding phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa in the UK and China. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 43. Javaid A, Gajula H, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ (2017) Investigating the risk of severe phoma stem canker caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa on winter oilseed rape in UK. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 53-57. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Integrated control of Leptosphaeria pathogens on UK oilseed rape |
| Organisation | Hutchinson H L Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker is a major disease of oilseed rape in the UK, causing yield losses > £100M p.a. The disease is caused by two related pathogens that attack in different ways: Leptosphaeria maculans (Lm) and L. biglobosa (Lb). Current control focuses only on Lm. Recent work showed that Lb can cause substantial yield losses and is less sensitive to some triazole fungicides than Lm. The pathogen Lb is a growing threat to UK oilseed rape production since no existing methods control it. This project will investigate stem canker epidemics caused by Lb and develop new tools/strategies to control them. To achieve this, we will (1) survey severity of phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Lb; (2) exploit new oilseed rape genomic data to identify genes for resistance against Lb; (3) determine efficacy of new non-triazole fungicides for control of both Lb and Lm; and (4) use Lb genomic information to investigate mechanisms of fungicide insensitivity in Lb; (5) develop new integrated control strategies. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved in field trials and consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, Cai X, Karandeni-Dewage CS, Gajula LH, Javaid A, Li GQ, Fitt BDL (2016). Understanding phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa in the UK and China. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 43. Javaid A, Gajula H, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ (2017) Investigating the risk of severe phoma stem canker caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa on winter oilseed rape in UK. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 53-57. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Integrated control of Leptosphaeria pathogens on UK oilseed rape |
| Organisation | Syntec Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker is a major disease of oilseed rape in the UK, causing yield losses > £100M p.a. The disease is caused by two related pathogens that attack in different ways: Leptosphaeria maculans (Lm) and L. biglobosa (Lb). Current control focuses only on Lm. Recent work showed that Lb can cause substantial yield losses and is less sensitive to some triazole fungicides than Lm. The pathogen Lb is a growing threat to UK oilseed rape production since no existing methods control it. This project will investigate stem canker epidemics caused by Lb and develop new tools/strategies to control them. To achieve this, we will (1) survey severity of phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Lb; (2) exploit new oilseed rape genomic data to identify genes for resistance against Lb; (3) determine efficacy of new non-triazole fungicides for control of both Lb and Lm; and (4) use Lb genomic information to investigate mechanisms of fungicide insensitivity in Lb; (5) develop new integrated control strategies. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved in field trials and consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, Cai X, Karandeni-Dewage CS, Gajula LH, Javaid A, Li GQ, Fitt BDL (2016). Understanding phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa in the UK and China. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 43. Javaid A, Gajula H, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ (2017) Investigating the risk of severe phoma stem canker caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa on winter oilseed rape in UK. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 53-57. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Integrated control of Leptosphaeria pathogens on UK oilseed rape |
| Organisation | Weston Park Farm |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker is a major disease of oilseed rape in the UK, causing yield losses > £100M p.a. The disease is caused by two related pathogens that attack in different ways: Leptosphaeria maculans (Lm) and L. biglobosa (Lb). Current control focuses only on Lm. Recent work showed that Lb can cause substantial yield losses and is less sensitive to some triazole fungicides than Lm. The pathogen Lb is a growing threat to UK oilseed rape production since no existing methods control it. This project will investigate stem canker epidemics caused by Lb and develop new tools/strategies to control them. To achieve this, we will (1) survey severity of phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Lb; (2) exploit new oilseed rape genomic data to identify genes for resistance against Lb; (3) determine efficacy of new non-triazole fungicides for control of both Lb and Lm; and (4) use Lb genomic information to investigate mechanisms of fungicide insensitivity in Lb; (5) develop new integrated control strategies. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved in field trials and consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, Cai X, Karandeni-Dewage CS, Gajula LH, Javaid A, Li GQ, Fitt BDL (2016). Understanding phoma stem canker epidemics caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa in the UK and China. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 43. Javaid A, Gajula H, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ (2017) Investigating the risk of severe phoma stem canker caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa on winter oilseed rape in UK. Crop Production in Southern Britain. Aspects of Applied Biology 134, 53-57. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Novel pre-breeding germplasm for commercial development of sustainable traits in crops |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The UH team used methods developed in the ERA_CAPs project for reliable screening for resistance which showed wide variation in resistance to the light leaf spot pathogen in a diversity set of Brassica napus cultivars. A total of 195 accessions were tested for resistance against a local population of Pyrenopeziza brassicae. Plants were grown in the glasshouse. Seedlings were spray inoculated with a P. brassicae spore suspension and covered with transparent plastic sheets for incubation at high humidity for 48 hours. The percentage leaf area of sporulation was determined three weeks after inoculation and after another 10 days of incubation at 4C in sealed plastic bags. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The John Innes Centre team used associative transcriptomics with the UH phenotype data to identify gene expression markers (GEMs) with expression levels linked to the trait, i.e. quantitative resistance against P. brassicae. Eight GEMs were identified. KWS used these results in their oilseed rape breeding programme. |
| Impact | Fell H, Ali AM, Wells R, Mitrousia GK, Woolfenden H, Schoonbeek HJ, Fitt BDL, Ridout CJ, Stotz HU (2023). Novel gene loci associated with susceptibility or cryptic quantitative resistance to Pyrenopeziza brassicae in Brassica napus. Theoretical and Applied Genetics (In Press) Collaboration multi-disciplinary involving plant pathologists and geneticists |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Novel pre-breeding germplasm for commercial development of sustainable traits in crops |
| Organisation | John Innes Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The UH team used methods developed in the ERA_CAPs project for reliable screening for resistance which showed wide variation in resistance to the light leaf spot pathogen in a diversity set of Brassica napus cultivars. A total of 195 accessions were tested for resistance against a local population of Pyrenopeziza brassicae. Plants were grown in the glasshouse. Seedlings were spray inoculated with a P. brassicae spore suspension and covered with transparent plastic sheets for incubation at high humidity for 48 hours. The percentage leaf area of sporulation was determined three weeks after inoculation and after another 10 days of incubation at 4C in sealed plastic bags. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The John Innes Centre team used associative transcriptomics with the UH phenotype data to identify gene expression markers (GEMs) with expression levels linked to the trait, i.e. quantitative resistance against P. brassicae. Eight GEMs were identified. KWS used these results in their oilseed rape breeding programme. |
| Impact | Fell H, Ali AM, Wells R, Mitrousia GK, Woolfenden H, Schoonbeek HJ, Fitt BDL, Ridout CJ, Stotz HU (2023). Novel gene loci associated with susceptibility or cryptic quantitative resistance to Pyrenopeziza brassicae in Brassica napus. Theoretical and Applied Genetics (In Press) Collaboration multi-disciplinary involving plant pathologists and geneticists |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Novel pre-breeding germplasm for commercial development of sustainable traits in crops |
| Organisation | KWS Group |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The UH team used methods developed in the ERA_CAPs project for reliable screening for resistance which showed wide variation in resistance to the light leaf spot pathogen in a diversity set of Brassica napus cultivars. A total of 195 accessions were tested for resistance against a local population of Pyrenopeziza brassicae. Plants were grown in the glasshouse. Seedlings were spray inoculated with a P. brassicae spore suspension and covered with transparent plastic sheets for incubation at high humidity for 48 hours. The percentage leaf area of sporulation was determined three weeks after inoculation and after another 10 days of incubation at 4C in sealed plastic bags. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The John Innes Centre team used associative transcriptomics with the UH phenotype data to identify gene expression markers (GEMs) with expression levels linked to the trait, i.e. quantitative resistance against P. brassicae. Eight GEMs were identified. KWS used these results in their oilseed rape breeding programme. |
| Impact | Fell H, Ali AM, Wells R, Mitrousia GK, Woolfenden H, Schoonbeek HJ, Fitt BDL, Ridout CJ, Stotz HU (2023). Novel gene loci associated with susceptibility or cryptic quantitative resistance to Pyrenopeziza brassicae in Brassica napus. Theoretical and Applied Genetics (In Press) Collaboration multi-disciplinary involving plant pathologists and geneticists |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Strategies to increase durability of host resistance for effective control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape |
| Organisation | Grainseed |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is a damaging disease on oilseed rape in the UK, causing annual yield losses > £100M despite use of fungicides. With recent loss of the most effective fungicides through EU legislation and predicted global warming, potential yield losses will increase. Use of host resistance to control this disease is becoming ever more important. However, new sources of resistance are often rendered ineffective due to pathogen population changes. This project will develop new control strategies to increase durability of host resistance. To achieve this, we will (1) monitor emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans; (2) investigate molecular mechanisms of mutation to virulence in L. maculans; (3) understand effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature) on durability of resistance; (4) identify resistance genes that are durable by exploiting the most recent developments in pathogen and host genomics; (5) develop new targeted control strategies and deliver them to farmers. Effective control of this disease will save farmers £27M p.a., besides benefits to breeders, distributors and the environment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved with field trials and attending consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, West JS, Mitrousia GK, Wood T, Bancroft I, Fitt BDL (2016) Identification of novel sources of pest and disease resistance in the UK OREGIN Brassica biodiversity collection. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 151. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Strategies to increase durability of host resistance for effective control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape |
| Organisation | Hutchinson H L Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is a damaging disease on oilseed rape in the UK, causing annual yield losses > £100M despite use of fungicides. With recent loss of the most effective fungicides through EU legislation and predicted global warming, potential yield losses will increase. Use of host resistance to control this disease is becoming ever more important. However, new sources of resistance are often rendered ineffective due to pathogen population changes. This project will develop new control strategies to increase durability of host resistance. To achieve this, we will (1) monitor emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans; (2) investigate molecular mechanisms of mutation to virulence in L. maculans; (3) understand effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature) on durability of resistance; (4) identify resistance genes that are durable by exploiting the most recent developments in pathogen and host genomics; (5) develop new targeted control strategies and deliver them to farmers. Effective control of this disease will save farmers £27M p.a., besides benefits to breeders, distributors and the environment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved with field trials and attending consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, West JS, Mitrousia GK, Wood T, Bancroft I, Fitt BDL (2016) Identification of novel sources of pest and disease resistance in the UK OREGIN Brassica biodiversity collection. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 151. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Strategies to increase durability of host resistance for effective control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape |
| Organisation | LS Plant Breeding |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is a damaging disease on oilseed rape in the UK, causing annual yield losses > £100M despite use of fungicides. With recent loss of the most effective fungicides through EU legislation and predicted global warming, potential yield losses will increase. Use of host resistance to control this disease is becoming ever more important. However, new sources of resistance are often rendered ineffective due to pathogen population changes. This project will develop new control strategies to increase durability of host resistance. To achieve this, we will (1) monitor emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans; (2) investigate molecular mechanisms of mutation to virulence in L. maculans; (3) understand effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature) on durability of resistance; (4) identify resistance genes that are durable by exploiting the most recent developments in pathogen and host genomics; (5) develop new targeted control strategies and deliver them to farmers. Effective control of this disease will save farmers £27M p.a., besides benefits to breeders, distributors and the environment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved with field trials and attending consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, West JS, Mitrousia GK, Wood T, Bancroft I, Fitt BDL (2016) Identification of novel sources of pest and disease resistance in the UK OREGIN Brassica biodiversity collection. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 151. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Strategies to increase durability of host resistance for effective control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape |
| Organisation | Limagrain |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is a damaging disease on oilseed rape in the UK, causing annual yield losses > £100M despite use of fungicides. With recent loss of the most effective fungicides through EU legislation and predicted global warming, potential yield losses will increase. Use of host resistance to control this disease is becoming ever more important. However, new sources of resistance are often rendered ineffective due to pathogen population changes. This project will develop new control strategies to increase durability of host resistance. To achieve this, we will (1) monitor emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans; (2) investigate molecular mechanisms of mutation to virulence in L. maculans; (3) understand effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature) on durability of resistance; (4) identify resistance genes that are durable by exploiting the most recent developments in pathogen and host genomics; (5) develop new targeted control strategies and deliver them to farmers. Effective control of this disease will save farmers £27M p.a., besides benefits to breeders, distributors and the environment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved with field trials and attending consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, West JS, Mitrousia GK, Wood T, Bancroft I, Fitt BDL (2016) Identification of novel sources of pest and disease resistance in the UK OREGIN Brassica biodiversity collection. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 151. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Strategies to increase durability of host resistance for effective control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape |
| Organisation | Monsanto |
| Department | Monsanto |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is a damaging disease on oilseed rape in the UK, causing annual yield losses > £100M despite use of fungicides. With recent loss of the most effective fungicides through EU legislation and predicted global warming, potential yield losses will increase. Use of host resistance to control this disease is becoming ever more important. However, new sources of resistance are often rendered ineffective due to pathogen population changes. This project will develop new control strategies to increase durability of host resistance. To achieve this, we will (1) monitor emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans; (2) investigate molecular mechanisms of mutation to virulence in L. maculans; (3) understand effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature) on durability of resistance; (4) identify resistance genes that are durable by exploiting the most recent developments in pathogen and host genomics; (5) develop new targeted control strategies and deliver them to farmers. Effective control of this disease will save farmers £27M p.a., besides benefits to breeders, distributors and the environment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved with field trials and attending consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, West JS, Mitrousia GK, Wood T, Bancroft I, Fitt BDL (2016) Identification of novel sources of pest and disease resistance in the UK OREGIN Brassica biodiversity collection. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 151. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Strategies to increase durability of host resistance for effective control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape |
| Organisation | Woodhall Estate |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is a damaging disease on oilseed rape in the UK, causing annual yield losses > £100M despite use of fungicides. With recent loss of the most effective fungicides through EU legislation and predicted global warming, potential yield losses will increase. Use of host resistance to control this disease is becoming ever more important. However, new sources of resistance are often rendered ineffective due to pathogen population changes. This project will develop new control strategies to increase durability of host resistance. To achieve this, we will (1) monitor emergence of new virulent races of L. maculans; (2) investigate molecular mechanisms of mutation to virulence in L. maculans; (3) understand effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature) on durability of resistance; (4) identify resistance genes that are durable by exploiting the most recent developments in pathogen and host genomics; (5) develop new targeted control strategies and deliver them to farmers. Effective control of this disease will save farmers £27M p.a., besides benefits to breeders, distributors and the environment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are involved with field trials and attending consortium meetings |
| Impact | Huang YJ, West JS, Mitrousia GK, Wood T, Bancroft I, Fitt BDL (2016) Identification of novel sources of pest and disease resistance in the UK OREGIN Brassica biodiversity collection. Abstracts. Brassica 2016, 3-7 October 2016, Melbourne, Australia, p. 151. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Understanding host resistance to improve control of light leaf spot on winter oilseed rape in the UK |
| Organisation | Perry Foundation |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The research team at the University of Hertfordshire is leading this research programme. the practical work is led by a PhD student, appointed for 4 years from Jan 2020, with supervision provided by members of staff in the Crop Protection and Climate Change group. All the laboratory work and experimental work in controlled plant growth facilities is done at the University of Hertfordshire, either on the College Lane or Bayfordbury campuses. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The student spent the first year of this 4-year PhD project working with RSK ADAS. Most of this work was done from home due to pandemic restrictions. Subsequently, RSK ADAS have been involved in running field experiments for the students. Both RSK ADAS and Perry Foundation attend regular project meetings and HKEP are also represented at these meetings. |
| Impact | This collaboration is resulting in presentations at research conferences, for example the International Congress of Plant Pathology, to be held at Lyon, France in August 2023. Offered presentation: 'Understanding Pyrenopeziza brassicae populations for effective control of light leaf spot in winter oilseed rape' by Sapelli, Karandeni Dewage, Ritchie, Fitt & Huang. Collaboration multidisciplinary, involving plant pathologists and geneticists |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Understanding host resistance to improve control of light leaf spot on winter oilseed rape in the UK |
| Organisation | RSK ADAS Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The research team at the University of Hertfordshire is leading this research programme. the practical work is led by a PhD student, appointed for 4 years from Jan 2020, with supervision provided by members of staff in the Crop Protection and Climate Change group. All the laboratory work and experimental work in controlled plant growth facilities is done at the University of Hertfordshire, either on the College Lane or Bayfordbury campuses. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The student spent the first year of this 4-year PhD project working with RSK ADAS. Most of this work was done from home due to pandemic restrictions. Subsequently, RSK ADAS have been involved in running field experiments for the students. Both RSK ADAS and Perry Foundation attend regular project meetings and HKEP are also represented at these meetings. |
| Impact | This collaboration is resulting in presentations at research conferences, for example the International Congress of Plant Pathology, to be held at Lyon, France in August 2023. Offered presentation: 'Understanding Pyrenopeziza brassicae populations for effective control of light leaf spot in winter oilseed rape' by Sapelli, Karandeni Dewage, Ritchie, Fitt & Huang. Collaboration multidisciplinary, involving plant pathologists and geneticists |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Understanding interactions between Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa for improving control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape in the UK |
| Organisation | Felix Cobbold Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker is an economically damaging disease of oilseed rape, caused by two co-existing pathogens Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa. L. maculans produces a phytotoxin called sirodesmin PL. Our work showed that L. biglobosa has an antagonistic effect on the production of sirodesmin PL if simultaneously co-inoculated. To further investigate the effects of sequential co-inoculation on interactions between the two pathogens in terms of sirodesmin PL production, clarified V8 broths were inoculated with L. maculans first, then L. biglobosa sequentially with 1, 3, 5, 7 days in-between, and vice versa. Controls were L. maculans only, L. biglobosa only and L. maculans & L. biglobosa co-inoculated simultaneously. Secondary metabolites were extracted from culture filtrates at 14 days post inoculation and analysed with HPLC. Mycelia were freeze-dried, weighed, and homogenised for DNA extraction and qPCR. There were no significant differences in mycelial weight between treatments. Both sirodesmin PL and its precursors were not produced if L. biglobosa was inoculated before L. maculans; this was due to L. biglobosa inhibiting the growth of L. maculans, confirmed by qPCR. However, the antagonistic effect of L. biglobosa was lost if it was co-inoculated 5 days after L. maculans. |
| Collaborator Contribution | ADAS provides opportunities for field experiments to support work done in controlled or laboratory conditions. ADAS partners attend regular project meetings, as do other partners |
| Impact | Fortune JA, Bingol E, Qi A, Baker D, Ritchie F, Karandeni Dewage CS, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ (2022). Leptosphaeria biglobosa inhibits production of the sirodesmin PL by L. maculans. Pest Management Science (in press; DOI 10.1002/ps.7275). Multidiciplinary; Biologists (Plant Pathologists) and chemists |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Understanding interactions between Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa for improving control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape in the UK |
| Organisation | Perry Foundation |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker is an economically damaging disease of oilseed rape, caused by two co-existing pathogens Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa. L. maculans produces a phytotoxin called sirodesmin PL. Our work showed that L. biglobosa has an antagonistic effect on the production of sirodesmin PL if simultaneously co-inoculated. To further investigate the effects of sequential co-inoculation on interactions between the two pathogens in terms of sirodesmin PL production, clarified V8 broths were inoculated with L. maculans first, then L. biglobosa sequentially with 1, 3, 5, 7 days in-between, and vice versa. Controls were L. maculans only, L. biglobosa only and L. maculans & L. biglobosa co-inoculated simultaneously. Secondary metabolites were extracted from culture filtrates at 14 days post inoculation and analysed with HPLC. Mycelia were freeze-dried, weighed, and homogenised for DNA extraction and qPCR. There were no significant differences in mycelial weight between treatments. Both sirodesmin PL and its precursors were not produced if L. biglobosa was inoculated before L. maculans; this was due to L. biglobosa inhibiting the growth of L. maculans, confirmed by qPCR. However, the antagonistic effect of L. biglobosa was lost if it was co-inoculated 5 days after L. maculans. |
| Collaborator Contribution | ADAS provides opportunities for field experiments to support work done in controlled or laboratory conditions. ADAS partners attend regular project meetings, as do other partners |
| Impact | Fortune JA, Bingol E, Qi A, Baker D, Ritchie F, Karandeni Dewage CS, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ (2022). Leptosphaeria biglobosa inhibits production of the sirodesmin PL by L. maculans. Pest Management Science (in press; DOI 10.1002/ps.7275). Multidiciplinary; Biologists (Plant Pathologists) and chemists |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Understanding interactions between Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa for improving control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape in the UK |
| Organisation | RSK ADAS Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker is an economically damaging disease of oilseed rape, caused by two co-existing pathogens Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa. L. maculans produces a phytotoxin called sirodesmin PL. Our work showed that L. biglobosa has an antagonistic effect on the production of sirodesmin PL if simultaneously co-inoculated. To further investigate the effects of sequential co-inoculation on interactions between the two pathogens in terms of sirodesmin PL production, clarified V8 broths were inoculated with L. maculans first, then L. biglobosa sequentially with 1, 3, 5, 7 days in-between, and vice versa. Controls were L. maculans only, L. biglobosa only and L. maculans & L. biglobosa co-inoculated simultaneously. Secondary metabolites were extracted from culture filtrates at 14 days post inoculation and analysed with HPLC. Mycelia were freeze-dried, weighed, and homogenised for DNA extraction and qPCR. There were no significant differences in mycelial weight between treatments. Both sirodesmin PL and its precursors were not produced if L. biglobosa was inoculated before L. maculans; this was due to L. biglobosa inhibiting the growth of L. maculans, confirmed by qPCR. However, the antagonistic effect of L. biglobosa was lost if it was co-inoculated 5 days after L. maculans. |
| Collaborator Contribution | ADAS provides opportunities for field experiments to support work done in controlled or laboratory conditions. ADAS partners attend regular project meetings, as do other partners |
| Impact | Fortune JA, Bingol E, Qi A, Baker D, Ritchie F, Karandeni Dewage CS, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ (2022). Leptosphaeria biglobosa inhibits production of the sirodesmin PL by L. maculans. Pest Management Science (in press; DOI 10.1002/ps.7275). Multidiciplinary; Biologists (Plant Pathologists) and chemists |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Understanding interactions between Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa for improving control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape in the UK |
| Organisation | University of Hertfordshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Phoma stem canker is an economically damaging disease of oilseed rape, caused by two co-existing pathogens Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa. L. maculans produces a phytotoxin called sirodesmin PL. Our work showed that L. biglobosa has an antagonistic effect on the production of sirodesmin PL if simultaneously co-inoculated. To further investigate the effects of sequential co-inoculation on interactions between the two pathogens in terms of sirodesmin PL production, clarified V8 broths were inoculated with L. maculans first, then L. biglobosa sequentially with 1, 3, 5, 7 days in-between, and vice versa. Controls were L. maculans only, L. biglobosa only and L. maculans & L. biglobosa co-inoculated simultaneously. Secondary metabolites were extracted from culture filtrates at 14 days post inoculation and analysed with HPLC. Mycelia were freeze-dried, weighed, and homogenised for DNA extraction and qPCR. There were no significant differences in mycelial weight between treatments. Both sirodesmin PL and its precursors were not produced if L. biglobosa was inoculated before L. maculans; this was due to L. biglobosa inhibiting the growth of L. maculans, confirmed by qPCR. However, the antagonistic effect of L. biglobosa was lost if it was co-inoculated 5 days after L. maculans. |
| Collaborator Contribution | ADAS provides opportunities for field experiments to support work done in controlled or laboratory conditions. ADAS partners attend regular project meetings, as do other partners |
| Impact | Fortune JA, Bingol E, Qi A, Baker D, Ritchie F, Karandeni Dewage CS, Fitt BDL, Huang YJ (2022). Leptosphaeria biglobosa inhibits production of the sirodesmin PL by L. maculans. Pest Management Science (in press; DOI 10.1002/ps.7275). Multidiciplinary; Biologists (Plant Pathologists) and chemists |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Understanding interactions between fungal pathogens Leptosphaeria maculans (phoma stem canker) and Pyrenopeziza brassicae (light leaf spot) on Brassica napus (oilseed rape) |
| Organisation | Chadacre Agricultural Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Our research team has provided the Principal Supervisor and Second Supervisors for this Hertfordshire Knowledge Exchange PhD project . The student (James Fortune) has spent the first year based with ADAS at Boxworth and is now spending the remaining three years doing his PhD at the University of Hertfordshire. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The industry partner RSK ADAS supervised the work done by the student (supervisor Dr Faye Ritchie) and regularly attend project meetings to assess progress of the project. The two agricultural charities have provided funding for the project and attend meetings from time to time. |
| Impact | The student James Fortune has presented work done in this project at several scientific conferences, both in the UK (eg British Society of Plant Pathology conference, Sept 2019) and overseas (International Society of PLant Pathology Congress, Boston, USA, July 2018). His work is also featuring in a book to be published to celebrate the centenary of the Chadacre Agricultural Trust. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Understanding interactions between fungal pathogens Leptosphaeria maculans (phoma stem canker) and Pyrenopeziza brassicae (light leaf spot) on Brassica napus (oilseed rape) |
| Organisation | Felix Cobbold Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Our research team has provided the Principal Supervisor and Second Supervisors for this Hertfordshire Knowledge Exchange PhD project . The student (James Fortune) has spent the first year based with ADAS at Boxworth and is now spending the remaining three years doing his PhD at the University of Hertfordshire. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The industry partner RSK ADAS supervised the work done by the student (supervisor Dr Faye Ritchie) and regularly attend project meetings to assess progress of the project. The two agricultural charities have provided funding for the project and attend meetings from time to time. |
| Impact | The student James Fortune has presented work done in this project at several scientific conferences, both in the UK (eg British Society of Plant Pathology conference, Sept 2019) and overseas (International Society of PLant Pathology Congress, Boston, USA, July 2018). His work is also featuring in a book to be published to celebrate the centenary of the Chadacre Agricultural Trust. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Understanding interactions between fungal pathogens Leptosphaeria maculans (phoma stem canker) and Pyrenopeziza brassicae (light leaf spot) on Brassica napus (oilseed rape) |
| Organisation | RSK ADAS Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Our research team has provided the Principal Supervisor and Second Supervisors for this Hertfordshire Knowledge Exchange PhD project . The student (James Fortune) has spent the first year based with ADAS at Boxworth and is now spending the remaining three years doing his PhD at the University of Hertfordshire. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The industry partner RSK ADAS supervised the work done by the student (supervisor Dr Faye Ritchie) and regularly attend project meetings to assess progress of the project. The two agricultural charities have provided funding for the project and attend meetings from time to time. |
| Impact | The student James Fortune has presented work done in this project at several scientific conferences, both in the UK (eg British Society of Plant Pathology conference, Sept 2019) and overseas (International Society of PLant Pathology Congress, Boston, USA, July 2018). His work is also featuring in a book to be published to celebrate the centenary of the Chadacre Agricultural Trust. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Agri-Tech East REAP Conference Today's knowledge meets tomorrow's technology, 7 Nov 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Attendance at Agri-Tech East conference where one of our students gave an invited presentation |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Attendance at AFCP (Agri-Food Charities Partnership) meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Hosted AFCP meeting at University of Hertfordshire, 16 June 2021. Hybrid meeting, c. 25 attendees in person; c. 100 attendees virtually. Management of diseases and pests of oilseed rape. Attended AFCP student forum, Cranfield University, 30 March 2022. c. 100 attendees in person. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
| URL | https://www.afcp.org.uk/ |
| Description | Attendance at workshop, New Crop Protection for Sustainable Farming, 22 Nov 2022, Rothamsted Research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Series of talks and discussions about funding for crop protection research from UK government initiatives |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Brassica 2018, Crucifer Genetics Workshop, St Malo, France |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | International workshop to discuss Brassica genetics; presented talks and posters |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | British Society for Plant Pathology Presidential Meeting, Bristol, Sept 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The BSPP presidential meeting was attended by a group of staff/students from the University of Hertfordshire. The event provided an opportunity to present our work as oral presentations and posters. It also gave opportunities to interact with collaborators. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.bspp.org.uk/conferences/arms-race-evolution-of-plant-pathogens-and-their-hosts/ |
| Description | British Society for Plant Pathology conference, Warwick, Dec 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Attended British Society of Plant Pathology presidential conference, Warwick, with staff and post-graduate students from our group. Posters and oral presentations were made. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | GCIRC 15th International Rapeseed Congress, Berlin, June 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A group of staff/post-graduate students from the University of Hertfordshire attended this Congress and accompanying workshops. Our work was presented as oral presentations and posters. There were opportunities to interact with collaborators from around the world. I was part of the International Organising Committee and am a UK representative on GCIRC Council. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.irc2019-berlin.com/ |
| Description | International Congress of Plant Pathology, Boston, USA, July/Aug 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was an international conference. Attended with other staff and post-grad students from our group. Presented work as posters. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Management of diseases and pests of oilseed rape |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Agri-Food Charities Partnership forum for industry and academics working with oilseed rape. Attendance more than 100, from all over the world, including China, Australia, Canada and several European countries. Held on 16 June 2021 at University of Hertfordshire. Hybrid event with some attending in person and most from all over the world attending virtually. Provided an opportunity for a series of talks and wide-ranging discussion of the research. Book of Proceedings available on AFCP web-site and Amazon. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Management-Diseases-Pests-Oilseed-Rape/dp/B09NRBTPRB/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1VHCWPOXQ5FNL&keywords=Management+of+diseases+and+pests+of+oilseed+rape&qid=1645545284&sprefix=management+of+diseases+and+pests+of+oilseed+rape%2Caps%2C49&sr=8-2) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.afcp.org.uk/sites/default/files/Management%20of%20diseases%20and%20pests%20of%20oilseed%... |
| Description | OREGIN stakeholders forum, Elsoms, Spalding, Lincs, Nov 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting of Oilseed Rape Genetic Improvement Network stakeholder forum, attended by industry and academic members of OREGIN. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Stand at Cereals 2017, Boothby Graffoe, Lincolnshire |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Presented research at University of Hertfordshire stand at this event |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Stand at Cereals' 2018, Duxford, Cambs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Participated in University of Hertfordshire stand at Cereals' 2018, June 13-14 2018. Event attended by 1000s of farmers and other members of the agricultural industry, mostly from the UK but some from overseas |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Stand at Hutchinson's winter farming conference, Kingsgate Conference Centre, Peterborough, 15 Nov 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Manned stand to present our research to farming audience |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Talk at event organised by Felix Cobbold Trust, November 2015 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Talk at event organised by Felix Cobbold Charitable Trust, November 2015 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Talk. Arable crop disease control, climate change and food security. 30 Sept 2016; Hawkesbury Institute, University of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Visit to Hawkesbury Institute to discuss collaboration which is now occurring |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Talk; Arable crop disease control, climate change and food security. 28 Sept 2016; University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Seminar at University of Western Australia which we visited to discuss collaboration |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Talks to U3A science groups in Watford and Hemel Hempstead, Herts, Sept/Oct 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talks about arable crop diseases, climate change and food security to U3A science groups in Watford (60 participants) and Hemel Hempstead (40 participants). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Trustee Director, Perry Foundation (agricultural charity, especially funding PhD studentships in applied agricultural research) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Attendance at charity board meetings (e.g. 30 Nov 2021, 5 Dec 2022), interviews for potential PhD students (e.g. 2 Feb 2022, 26 Jan 2023, at Farmers Club, London), attendance at related meetings (e.g. presentations by students to the industry). Main impact of this to to provide trained personnel for the UK agricultural industry, after completion of PhD (about four each year). Destinations have been plant breeding, agricultural consultancy, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Boiard etc. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020,2021,2022,2023 |