UK-Brazil Partnering Award for Developing New Aphid Resistance in Wheat
Lead Research Organisation:
Rothamsted Research
Department Name: Biointeractions and Crop Protection
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Publications
Pereira J
(2017)
DIMBOA levels in hexaploid Brazilian wheat are not associated with antibiosis against the cereal aphids Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae
in Theoretical and Experimental Plant Physiology
| Description | The aim of this partnering award was to bring together UK (Rothamsted Research) and Brazilian (Embrapa-Wheat) expertise in a new partnership, to create aphid resistant wheat, whereby exchange visits could facilitate the development of (i) a high-throughput phenotype platform in the UK and Brazil for screening multiple accessions, from UK and Brazilian germplasm, of ancestor species and hexaploid varieties, for aphid resistance and (ii) protocols required for the analysis of the causal secondary metabolites for observed resistance of aphid-resistant wheat. Experiments were conducted to facilitate the development of a phenotype platform for assaying aphid resistance in ancestor (diploid) and hexaploid wheat, including: bioassays of short duration and high capacity assessment of wheat lines and cultivars - High throughput screening (HTP), and bioassays for assessing the effects of wheat plants on the development of aphid populations - aphid infestation - weighing bioassays (Wbio). Protocols required for the analysis of the causal secondary metabolites for observed resistance of aphid-resistant wheat were developed. Further natural product isolation and analysis was undertaken at Rothamsted by junior researcher Andre Sarria, a recently recruited Brazilian PDRA at Rothamsted. In summary, natural levels of the plant defence compound DIMBOA in eight hexaploid Brazilian wheat genotypes and the impact of the genotypes upon development of cereal aphids, Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae, were investigated, and bioassays were conducted to evaluate the development and fecundity of both aphid species when grown on the wheat genotypes. Although BRS Guabiju and BRS Timbaúva were among the genotypes showing the worse and best performances, respectively, against both species, no correlation could be found between DIMBOA levels and antibiosis effects. The characterization of the levels of DIMBOA and the genotypes where aphid development was negatively impacted is important for a better understanding of natural aphid resistance in hexaploid Brazilian wheat. Aphid performance assays and analysis of causal secondary metabolites in wheat were facilitated by the six month visit of an Embrapa-Wheat scientist (PP) to Rothamsted Research. A workshop was held in June 2015 to enable the discussion, development and planning of a bilateral programme of research on developing aphid-resistant wheat involving Rothamsted and 3 Embrapa Units, which formed the basis of the proposal that was submitted to the BBSRC-Embrapa Wheat full project call in September 2015. |
| Exploitation Route | Globally, sustainable intensification of crop production systems requires the delivery of new crop protection tools via seed, ie. GM, and the enhancement of ecosystem services, i.e. beneficial natural enemies, from land set aside as natural habitats. The findings here underpin the practical development of new crop protection interventions based on chemical ecology, specifically plant defence signalling, and which can deliver crop protection via smart plants, sentinel technology and recruitment of ecosystem services i.e. beneficial natural enemy populations for conservation biological control. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Description | Aphid resistance in wheat |
| Organisation | Embrapa Trigo |
| Country | Brazil |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Principal Investigator |
| Collaborator Contribution | Co-investigator |
| Impact | 1 Peer-review publication |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | International Congress of Entomology Meeting 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited Keynote presentation at International Congress of Entomology Meeting, Orlando, USA, September 2016. "Prospects for Robust Insect Resistance in Crops Using Plant Genetic Engineering". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Oral presentation at Annual Meeting of Brazilian Chemical Ecology Society (EBEQ) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Oral presentation given at 9th Meeting of the Brazilian Chemical Ecology Society (EBEQ), 4th December 2015. "Inducible Plant Signalling: Opportunities for Real Time Management of Pests". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Poster presentation at International Chemical Ecology meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Poster presentation given at 1st Joint Meeting ISCE/ALAEQ (International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE)) 04-08 July 2016 Iguazu Falls in Brazil. "Aphid resistance in brazilian hexaploid wheat does not correlate with levels of the benzoxazinoid natural product DIMBOA." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |