Award details

FACCE ERA-NET+ New generation sustainable tools to control emerging mite pests under climate change

Reference	BB/M018121/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Jeremy Cross
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr Richard Harrison, Professor Xiangming Xu
Institution	East Malling Research
Department	Science
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	475,537
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/01/2015
End date	31/01/2016
Duration	13 months

Abstract

WP1: Species distribution models and tritrophic interactions under CC scenarios in Europe The combined effects of abiotic and biotic stress on the development and distribution of two mite pests, T. urticae (TSSM) and T. evansi (TE), and their predatory mite natural enemies, Neoseiulus californicus and Euseius gallicus under CC scenarios will be investigated through experimental and modelling approaches. WP2: Reciprocal transcriptional responses of mites and plants under CC The aim of this WP is to determine tomato and strawberry transcriptional responses to mite herbivory under varying CC (drought stress, high temperature). WP3: Identification of plant and mite metabolites upon herbivory and CC The objective of this work package is to comprehensively analyse the effect of CC (increasing temperature and reduced water availability) on the metabolome/lipidome of tomato and strawberry plants for both the non-infected and the mite-infected state. WP4: Identification of mite elicitors/effectors and their activities We aim to uncover mite elicitors/effectors and the interacting pathways in the plant. Modulation of plant defences by herbivorous arthropods has been shown to be meditated by salivary secretions and therefore mite saliva is a primary source to uncover potential elicitors/effectors. WP5: Systems biology: Correlation of plant transcriptomics and metabolomic responses with tritrophic performance and mite transcriptome responses Data from WPs 1-3 will be integrated with the aim to correlate transcriptional and metabolic changes (WPs 2 and 3) in different plant species subjected to the herbivory and adaptations of spider mites. To ultimately integrate gene expression and metabolite screens, we will have to map the current gene annotations of mites, strawberry and tomato on pathways.

Summary

Climate change will have serious and profound impacts on pests and diseases of agricultural crops in Europe and it is vital that new tools and management methods are developed to tackle the problems that will increasingly threaten EU food production as a result. * In this project, for the first time, comprehensive state-of-the-art genomic, metabolomic and modelling methods will be used to develop the necessary tools and management methods for tackling spider mites that are increasingly serious pests of many important crops throughout the EU. * This will not only be an outstanding contribution to spider mite management under climate change but crucially be an example, demonstrating how the best and most advanced methods can be applied to the vast array of other important pests and diseases that will develop because of climate change. * Spider mite outbreaks and crop damage are strongly favoured by high temperatures and drought stress caused by climate change (especially in combination) that will have a serious impact not only in southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin but also throughout Europe because of more extreme weather events including heat waves and droughts. The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (TSSM), is a highly polyphagous species which attacks many crops and is adapting to attack several important new crops including grape vines and corn. Tetranychus evansi (TE) is a recently arrived alien invasive pest that is spreading through Europe and attacks important solanacious crops including tomato and potato. * Phytoseiid predatory mites are the main naturally occurring predators that help regulate spider mite populations and are introduced as biocontrol agents for control of spider mites in commercial crops. They are sensitive to broad-spectrum insecticides and the increasing use of these insecticides to control other alien invasive pests, e.g. spotted wing Drosophila and brown marmorated stink bug, are harming them and causing more serious outbreaks of spider mites. * In this project, teams from 7 EU countries and Canada will model the performance of each organism in plant-spider mite-predators tritrophic interaction under changing climatic (CC) conditions. This will be accompanied by determination of reciprocal transcriptional and metabolomics changes in plants (tomato and strawberry) and spider mites (TSSM and TE) upon their interactions under normal and CC scenarios. In addition, we will search for elicitors and effectors of TSSM and TE that are capable of modulating plant defences. Using Systems biology approaches, we will link performance of plants and mites with genome-wide changes in their responses. Thus, our study will not only model performance of organisms involve in tritrophic interaction, but will also model processes whose changes lead to modulated performance under CC. This comprehensive knowledge can then be used to develop new tools and methods for climate-smart pest control.

Impact Summary

The GENOMITE research will produce knowledge with broad impacts on climate smart agriculture and pest control, basic science, development of tools and agricultural practices and agricultural industry, policy-making and society at large. * Development of basic knowledge for climate smart agriculture Our multidisciplinary consortium aims to produce basic understanding and fundamental knowledge on interactions between crop plants, pests and climate. The understanding of the holistic interaction between these 3 systems is currently lacking and prevents development of climate-smart agriculture and pest control concepts. * Development of technologies and applications: agricultural industry Our basic discoveries represent a novel avenue for development of climate-smart pest control technologies. Therefore, commercialization plan and experience of the GENOMITE consortium is critical for the development of the novel technologies. * Impact on climate smart agriculture practices and approaches The GENOMITE discoveries have a potential to introduce climate-smart spider mite control practices in agriculture. * Societal impact: education and dissemination The GENOMITE consortium has an ambitious plan to disseminate and educate broader public on scientific approaches to develop climate-smart pest control. * Impact on policy development: Our studies will have an important impact on EU policy development. Our project focuses on understanding and management of pests induced by climate change (T. urticae) and management of invasive introduces species (T. evansi). These case studies have a potential to influence development of agricultural policies. In conclusion, the GENOMITE project has potential for development of broad impact including creation of new knowledge, technologies and approaches for climate-smart agriculture and sustainable pest control. In addition, impacts at the societal and policy-making level have potential to develop measures that equip policy makers with new tools to efficiently tackle the impact of climate change on agriculture and to educate general society on scientific potentials for sustainable agricultural development. The novelty of this approach, the international and trans-continental composition of our group and its critical mass of researchers puts us in a position to develop this ambitious program with relatively limited financial input but with broad impact in area of climate-smart agriculture.

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Crop Science, Plant Science
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	ERA-NET on Climate Smart Agriculture (FACCE ERA-NET-plus) [2014]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

Associated awards:

BB/M018121/2 FACCE ERA-NET+ New generation sustainable tools to control emerging mite pests under climate change

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