RHIZASANA · Biological control of tomato disease

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Project objective

Tomato is an important crop in the EU as well as in developing countries such as Pakistan, home of the researcher. This project aims to improve the biological control of a serious disease in commercial tomato production, i.e. crown- and root-rot of tomato caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. radicis lycopersici.Biological control of root diseases is of particular interest because chemical pesticides do not provide adequate plant protection and may be harmful to the environment. Certain root-colonizing soil bacteria (e.g. strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens) can suppress disease caused by pathogenic fungi on crop plants, by producing antifungal compounds, by inducing resistance in the plants, or by weakening fungal virulence.The specific aim of this interdisciplinary project is to evaluate how thiamine, a vitamin involved in fungal virulence and hitherto underrated environmental factor, impacts on biocontrol performance. A novel hypothesis will be evaluated: Is thiamine degradation, a property of certain potent biocontrol strains of Pseudomonas spp., a mechanism by which fungal virulence can be reduced? Moreover, the bioavailability of thiamine will be monitored experimentally using a newly constructed reporter bacterium (biosensor).The partner will acquire new skills in molecular genetic and biochemical techniques available at the Swiss host institution. Subsequently, he will implement these interdisciplinary approaches in his home institution in Pakistan, in collaboration with European re searchers. This research will improve our understanding of biocontrol mechanisms in general and may facilitate practical applications of biocontrol for crop protection and vegetable production, both in the EU and in Pakistan.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• UNIVERSITE DE LAUSANNE · LAUSANNECoordinatorSwitzerland

Links

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