Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Depicting the richest source of pathogen linked miscellaneous gene expression in orphan crops by Nanopore.

Project description

Why one pepper crop is resistant to disease

Piper colubrinum, which is used to cure foot rot, is a wild relative of the cultivated species of black pepper, Piper nigrum. While P. colubrinum is resistant to disease, P. nigrum (a valuable spice crop) is not. There is a lack of validated genome sequence data for either species. Also, the exact reason behind the resistance of P. colubrinum is not yet understood. The EU-funded OCNANO project will use the MinION, a portable real-time device for DNA and RNA sequencing, to find answers. Specifically, it will annotate the transcriptomes of both Piper species. It will also use an array-based capture to identify pathogen gene expression during infection. The project will also compare analysis of both P. nigrum and P. colubrinum gene expression during infection.

Objective

Modern agriculture is dominated by crops noticeable for intense food supply leaving behind a class of neglected or orphan crops. Relatively poorly studied orphan crops have the potential to diversify the human diet, increase agricultural food productivity levels and enable more sustainable and resilient agro- and horti-food systems. Here, we focus on two such crops-Piper nigrum (black pepper) the most important spice traded internationally and Piper colubrinum, a wild relative of black pepper introduced from Brazil, which is the only known source of resistance to diseases such as foot rot or quick wilt caused by an Oomycete Phytophthora capsici. Negligible genome sequence data exists for either species. Although agricultural practices for making P. nigrum resistant to this Oomycete by interspecific hybridization with P.colubrinum are well known, no effective strategies have been generated yet. The exact reason behind the resistance of P.colubrinum is not yet understood, thus leaving open a fertile area of investigation.With this background, OCNANO aims to reveal the basis of pathogen resistance that distinguish resistant from susceptible species of Piper. We will employ Oxford nanopore MinION technology to address this issue with three specific objectives:(1) Annotate the transcriptomes of P.nigrum and P. colubrinum; (2) Identify pathogen gene expression during infection using a capture array; (3) Comparative analysis of P. nigrum and P. colubrinum gene expression during infection. Innovative strategies like nanopore in combination with other sequencing approaches can transform annotation and enable the richest understanding of gene expression during pathogen attack. Research progressing towards the rescue of such orphan crops from their environmental stresses, by applying leading edge technologies, can further enhance crop productivity, food security, knowledge based economy and society and contribute to the achievement of several UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 224 933,76
Address
Nethergate
DD1 4HN Dundee
United Kingdom

See on map

Region
Scotland Eastern Scotland Angus and Dundee City
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 224 933,76
My booklet 0 0