BR2CSFB - A toolkit for breeding resistance to adult and larval herbivory by the cabbage stem flea beetle

Lead Research Organisation: Rothamsted Research
Department Name: Protecting Crops and the Environment

Abstract

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Technical Summary

Loss of chemical controls for cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB; Psylliodes chrysocephala) and decline in OSR cropping area represent a serious risk to the viability of the UK OSR industry. Integrated pest management strategies offer an alternative to chemical control. Resistant cultivars are central to this approach.
Through controlled feeding studies and field trials we have identified variation for adult CSFB feeding within a DFFS of B. napus. Controlled larval infestation studies have also identified variation in the numbers of emerging adult CSFB. These data indicate that some lines of B. napus carry genes which 1) deter adult CSFB feeding and 2) confer antibiosis resistance against larval infestation. If identified, this variation can be exploited to breed OSR resistant to CSFB.
Here we describe a program to identify the genetic variation underlying these resistance traits and develop our understanding of interactions between plants and chewing beetle pests at adult and larval stages. Using Associative Transcriptomics, we have successfully identified variation at two loci associated with increased adult CSFB palatability which contain genes with known functions in plant defence signalling. This approach will be combined with biparental mapping and genome re-sequencing, to identify further loci associated with reduced adult palatability and larval antibiosis resistance. Using transcriptome time course analysis, larval development studies and metabolomic analysis, we will form an understanding of the underlying response of OSR to CSFB and the resulting effects on insect development, allowing us to begin to unravel the mechanisms underlying the observed CSFB resistance. Key genes implicated in resistance and defence responses will be investigated using candidate gene studies. These data will allow us to develop and test hypotheses which can be exploited in collaboration with our breeding partners for genetic plant protection against this key agricultural pest.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description Field data from the first two years of this study are indicating some variation in the susceptibility of different commercial cultivars of oilseed rape to cabbage stem flea beetle, with both adult feeding and larval infestation showing variation with cultivar. Our final year of field work will help to confirm how robust this variation is. Industry partners have made separate assessment of the plots and these observations, together with our own, are starting to inform future breeding programmes for resistance to this devastating pest.
First Year Of Impact 2023
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink
Impact Types Economic

 
Description International Resistance Action Committee - consultation on cabbage stem flea beetle for updated information 'posters'
Geographic Reach Multiple continents/international 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to new or improved professional practice
URL https://irac-online.org/documents/cabbage-stem-flea-beetle-in-winter-osr/?ext=pdf
 
Description PhD studentship: Regenerative Agricultural practices for biocontrol in Mustard
Amount £200,000 (GBP)
Organisation Unilever 
Sector Private
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2024 
End 02/2028
 
Description Royal Society of Biology Plant Health Undergraduate Studentships (PHUGS) programme
Amount £4,150 (GBP)
Organisation Royal Society of Biology (RSB) 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2023 
End 09/2023
 
Description Consultancy subcontract to csfbSMART project 
Organisation National Institute of Agronomy and Botany (NIAB)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Contribution of know-how and in-depth knowledge of literature on cabbage stem flea beetle; intellectual input on design of protocols for farmers to determine pest abundance and damage levels caused by this pest
Collaborator Contribution NIAB - co-ordination of network of farmers growing oilseed rape
Impact Network of farmers growing oilseed rape Press release: https://www.niab.com/news-views/news/news-arable-industry-joins-together-fight-cabbage-stem-flea-beetle eb page : https://www.niab.com/csfbsmart
Start Year 2021
 
Description -LSPB to visit BR2CSFB plots 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact - LSPB 22/3/23 to assess BR2CSFB plots
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description AAB Biocontrol and IPM conference (16-17/11/22) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Presented a poster and gave a talk on Conservation Biological control of cabbage stem flea beetle in oilseed rape
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description British Crop Protection Council BCPC - Conference - Invited talk (2-3/11/21, Harrogate) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact I gave an invited presentation on 'Can we grow oilseed rape without Insecticides' which was followed by a long question & answer session with lots of questions! I was very pleased with audience engagement.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description British Crop protection Council (BCPC) Pests & beneficials group Annual meeting 
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 As part of the Pests & Beneficials Group I helped to organize this meeting which was held online
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.bcpc.org/events/reviews-events/bcpc-pest-beneficials-reviews/bcpc-pests-and-beneficials-...
 
Description Canadian Canola week. Invited presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Canadian Canola week. Invited presentation on: Cabbage stem flea beetle control in Europe: Problems - and solutions - following the neonicotinoid ban (invited in person expenses offered but chose to attend online) 6/12/23
https://www.canolacouncil.org/event/canola-week/
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.canolacouncil.org/event/canola-week/
 
Description DPG working group oilseed rape meeting (German group) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Invited presentation to the German DPG working group on IPM of cabbage stem flea beetle
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Global Council for Innovation in rapeseed (GCIRC) Technical meeting on IPM 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact As chair of the GCIRC Crop protection Committee I was tasked with organizing a technical meeting for GCIRC members and invited speakers on integrated insect pest management in rapeseed. I organized the programme and invited the speakers - 13 speakers from the 9 countries encompassing the global rapeseed community (Europe, China, India, Canada) (6:7 male:female ratio). Talks were pre-recorded and were followed by a 2hr live summary, Q&A and discussion session.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Groundswell 2023 
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 work on cabbage stem flea beetle as a poster and engaged farmers in volunteering to send in samples for analysis
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description IOBC WG Integrated Control in Oilseed Crops - organized entomology subsection of the meeting and presented an oral poster 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact As the Entomology subgroup Convenor of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) Working Group on Integrated Control in Oilseed crops , I organised the scientific programme for the Entomology subsection of the meeting (online) 17-18/5/22. The programme comprised 23 oral presentations, 11 flash talks and 2 virtual posters. I edited the English on all Joint session and Entomology sub-section Abstracts and Bulletin submissions (39 submissions in total).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Indegro farmer academy visit 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Presented BR2CSFB field trial to visitors from Ingegro
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description International Conference on Vegetable Oils, Hyderabad, India. Invited oral presentation as part of the session on mustard-rapeseed 21/1/23 (online) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact International Conference on Vegetable Oils, Hyderabad, India. Invited oral presentation as part of the session on mustard-rapeseed 21/1/23 (online) on: 'Developing IPM strategies for insect pests in European rapeseed'.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.icar-iior.org.in/sites/default/files/iiorcontent/icvo-2023/Finalized%20%20Programme%20of...
 
Description International plant health conference, London UK (21-23/9/22) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presented a poster on BR2CSFB work
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description NIAB CSFBsmart field day - presented 3 posters and discussed CSFB IPM with farmers 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact NIAB CSFBsmart field day - presented 3 posters and discussed CSFB IPM with farmers
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description RAGT seeds to visit BR2CSFB plots 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact RAGT seeds - to assess BR2CSFB plots
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description UK Brassica research Community / Oilseed Rape genetic Improvement network meeting 
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 Attended the emeting - very fruitful and interesting discussions among the range of stakeholders attending
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description UK-BRC meeting + OREGIN meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Attended the meeting
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022