Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PROTECTA (Pathogen-informed Resistance to Oomycete diseases in Ecosystems, Agriculture and Aquaculture)
Reporting period: 2020-08-01 to 2023-01-31
In Aphanomyces euteiches we identified a new secreted effector that facilitates infection. In the Phytophthora infestans-Solanum pathosystem, we have identified receptor(s) that bind to members of a new, fastly evolving effector family, and we have also discovered that the host plant activates immune proteases through a proteolytic cascade, which P. infestans inhibits by secreting EPI1. We have new lines of potato that may carry more durable resistance to late blight. We have identified determinants of mycoparasitism in Pythium oligandrum. We performed a pilot study to test if effector-assisted breeding, can be transferred to strawberry. We discovered a species of Gluconobacter that can protect Pine trees from root rot, and collected oomycete samples from production and natural forest ecosystems to assess species diversity in this landscape. We have also developed diploid, near-isogenic potato lines carrying different combinations of Resistance (R) genes, which are currently being exploited in the breeding programs at Solynta. 21 scientific papers have so far been published, and several more are in the pipeline. The ESRs have also attended scientific conferences, met with stakeholders and communicated their research widely. Popular science articles for policy makers and other stakeholders have also been published.
Although extensively modified due to covid19, our doctoral training program, provided a supportive, open environment designed to improve the working conditions and career perspectives of the ESRs. PROTECTA had a strong collaboration across multiple business and academic sectors, ensuring that results will continue to be exploited beyond the project, by European companies such as Solynta, DLF, De Sangosse, Fish Vet Group, Graminor and Vivai Michelini. The very early impact of the project is seen by the employment of the ESRs that have already defended their theses successfully. ESR3 is employed as a bioinformatician at Biomillenia in France, ESR14 is employed as phenotyping manager at Innolea SAS, France. ESR7 is employed as a mass spectrometry data analyst at Mnemo Theraputics, France and ESR15 is post-doctoral researcher looking at “Emerging water futures” at the James Hutton Institute, UK. This demonstrates our impact, in terms of career potential of our ESRs and shows that, as hoped, trans-sectoral students with an international mindset, and the key transferable and research skills gained during PROTECTA make our graduates highly sought after by employers. The non-academic sector had a meaningful contribution to the research training program. The ESRs thus gained a deeper understanding of non-academic research and developed creative and innovative mindsets. See the researcher blog on our website https://protectaitn.wordpress.com/blog/ for thoughts from the ESRs on innovation after the training courses within PROTECTA. We have strengthened European innovation capacity, by providing innovative new natural products for crop protection. For example, new bacteria that can control oomycete diseases; new methods, and new genes, for breeding better host resistance in crops including potato and sugar beet new potato breeding lines and assessments of the impact of plant resistance inducers and biocontrol agents on plant fitness and soil health.