Obiettivo Plants harbor fungi asymptomatically within their tissues, called endophytes, which may protect the host plant against herbivores. The fungus Beauveria bassiana is an entomopathogen infecting insects, but it has recently also been demonstrated to grow as an endophyte within several plants. In this project I will evaluate the potential of the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana as an endophyte for biological plant protection against pests using wheat as a model host. In addition to effects on insect pests, I will for the first time study effects of endophytic B. bassiana on vertebrate pests, and I will establish whether pests favor or avoid infected plants over endophyte-free plants in preference tests. The project will initially establish methods for inoculation of plants with B. bassiana, validation of successful infections using advanced molecular methods followed by behavioral and physiological animal experimentation, and chemical analyses to separate and identify any volatile compounds emitted from the infected plants. This project is unique and highly inter-disciplinary with an unconventional combination of the disciplines of plant ecology, insect pathology and biological control implementing methods from agronomy, ecology, physiology, chemical ecology, and molecular biology. The knowledge obtained through this project will significantly contribute to the European scientific community within biological pest control and increase awareness of the utilization of endophytic fungi for crop protection. This project will likely become the baseline for subsequent studies in other agroecosystems and could pave the way for the effective deployment of entomopathogenic fungi as endophytes for biological pest control in important agricultural crops. Campo scientifico agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagricultureagronomyplant protectionnatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologymycologynatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyentomologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmolecular biology Programma(i) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Argomento(i) FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF - Marie-Curie Action: "Intra-European fellowships for career development" Invito a presentare proposte FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF Vedi altri progetti per questo bando Meccanismo di finanziamento MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF) Coordinatore KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET Contributo UE € 221 154,60 Indirizzo NORREGADE 10 1165 Kobenhavn Danimarca Mostra sulla mappa Regione Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København Tipo di attività Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Contatto amministrativo Tine Mathiesen (Ms.) Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Costo totale Nessun dato
