Nematode resistant plantain for African subsistence growers.

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The work is based on Agrobacterium-mediated introduction of genes to plantain by a novel technique of apical meristem transformation. This avoids slow regeneration of plants from single cells that may result in unwanted somaclonal variation. The approach has been developed by the co- applicant within Africa. Initial work will use constructs providing expression of a maize cysteine proteinase inhibitor already present in the food of Africans. It prevents nematodes from utilising their dietary protein without harmful effect on humans and controls a wide range of plant nematodes including those that damage plantain. Toxicological studies establish a margin of exposure is greater than 2000 fold when root specific promoters are used to deliver a cystatin. UK field trials have established no substantial adverse effect either on invertebrate associates of a potato crop above ground or on soil communities. The cysteine proteinase inhibitor will be stacked with a non-lethal, synthetic peptide that limits root invasion by nematodes. The work will also adapt other research for BBSRC that is expressing a double stranded RNA in plants. This results in the silencing of a gene that the nematode requires to survive or develop in plants. This effect was first reported in detail for a nematode and resulted in the award of the Nobel Prize for Medicine for the advance it provides. In the context of the current work, the lack of new protein expression in plants overcomes the concerns of expression of even biosafe, novel plant proteins in biotech crops. The levels of resistance required to prevent nematode mediated growth suppression of plantain that lead to yield loss will be determined. This and other information will be collated and permission sought for field trials in Uganda. All the objectives of the work combine to enhance the capacity for Uganda to develop biotech crops in country to meets its national needs and objectives.