Priming crop defences against pests using an aphid effector delivery system

Aphids are some of the most serious crop pests, inflicting direct damage through sap-feeding and acting as vectors for a wide range of plant viruses. The peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae, has a particularly wide host range and can cause dramatic yield losses in a number of crops. Sap-feeding insects such as M. persicae secrete effector proteins via their saliva in order to modify host plant physiology and aid feeding. Candidate M. persicae effector sequences have been identified previously. Transient overexpression of such effectors in Nicotiana revealed that selected effector candidates (Mp10 and Mp42) were able to reduce aphid fecundity on the plant. This project will determine the efficacy of host defence response activation and resistance establishment using aphid saliva effector delivery via bacteria as a potential novel control method. It will also investigate cross-reactivity between host priming to aphids and other sources of abiotic and biotic stress in both crops and model plants.