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KeyGene’s biotic stress research: boosting the plant’s defense mechanisms


Wageninge, The Netherlands
January 14, 2016

January 14, 2016

16772833-LR

Focus on the plant’s own defense
Food production world-wide is plagued by insect pests and microbes. In addition to yield loss during the growth season, post-harvest diseases can amount to ~40% loss (e.g. grain crops) or can result in unmarketable fresh products. For long, growers have heavily relied on the use of pesticides, sanitary measures and practical solutions such as crop rotation. Now, with an increasing number of pesticides being banned due to regulatory constraints, more focus is on the plant’s own capabilities to defend itself.

“We have a team of highly skilled scientists, researchers and technicians to combat important pests and diseases in a number of vegetable and field crops”

Already for many years pests, whether caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses or nematodes are an important topic for KeyGene. In fact, KeyGene’s first research in 1989 focused on fungal disease resistance genes. In the following 26 years KeyGene gradually expanded its knowledge and expertise towards a number of various pests and diseases. In order to support vegetable seed breeders and field crop companies KeyGene invested significantly in dedicated facilities and a highly skilled work force in the field of biotic stresses. Recently, new laboratories were opened. Time to have an interview with the person who heads the ‘biotic stress’ team, Martin de Vos.

RBF_2705_LRUnraveling the signals after attack
Martin de Vos is program scientist for Trait Biology at KeyGene and as such responsible for the research programs executed in the field of biotic stresses. Martin, a plant pathologist and entomologist, started his career at KeyGene five-and-a-half years ago. At that time KeyGene had just made an important transition into establishing itself as a trait innovation company. When asked about the main goal of the biotic stress research Martin says: “At KeyGene, we aim at unraveling the molecular signals that are switched on in crops upon recognition of its attackers. Important genes involved in the response to these pests and pathogens are identified and their role in plant defense characterized. Subsequently, we use this knowledge to identify existing allelic variation or create variation in the genes. Finally, we test whether plants that contain novel variation outperform our current crop varieties when confronted with the pathogen at hand”.

DSC_0036_lrDedicated lab with highly skilled personnel
Many of the pests and pathogens that we work with are destructive for crop production. The new facilities allow research under highly controlled conditions and are physically separated from the rest of the research activities at KeyGene. Martin: “Moreover, we have invested significantly in precision phenotyping of diseases caused by a number of insect, fungal and nematode enemies”. About the team he adds: “we have a team which is specialized in identification, characterization and validation of crop genes that are crucial for the plant’s defenses. Altering these genes or studying alternatives available in wild relatives helps to provide novel genetic resistance solutions that should, in part, replace the reliance on pesticides’ Martin continues: “The team consists of highly skilled technicians and scientists. Each of them has a specific area of expertise, ranging from bacterial diseases to plant parasitic worms (called nematodes) and from sap-sucking aphids and whiteflies to soil-born fungi or molds that attack fruits”.

“All our work is aimed at providing customers with novel concepts and validated leads to generate resistance to any of these biotic agents that severely impact crop yield”

Insects-lrUnique and powerful mixture
Martin: “The added value of KeyGene is that it is one of the very few companies that can tackle all aspects of the research that is required to crack the mechanisms underpinning complex traits. The unique mix of highly specialized personnel, access to the latest sequencing technologies, precision phenotyping, breeding material, bioinformatics and methods to create novel alleles in any vegetable or row crop allow rapid trait development in your crop of interest. These complementary facets of innovation makes the difference”!



More solutions from: KeyGene NV


Website: http://www.keygene.com

Published: January 15, 2016


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