Award details

The diversity of verticillium chlamydosporium populations and its relevance to the regulation of nematode populations

Reference	BBS/E/C/00004490
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Penny Hirsch
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Rothamsted Research
Department	Rothamsted Research Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	29,366
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/05/2002
End date	30/06/2006
Duration	50 months

Abstract

The fungus,Pochonia chlamydosporia (synonym V. chlamydosporium), is the causal agent of the decline of several nematode pests in a range of soils, but it is very variable. It is unclear if nematode suppression is due to one effective isolate or several distinct isolates acting together, on different parts of the roots and on egg masses. Determining isolate diversity (using physiological profiles and genetic fingerprinting) in these niches will indicate if any selection occurs during the saprophytic or parasitic phases of fungal growth. The project will 1) Investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of different P. chlamydosporia isolates and other nematophagous fungi in soil, rhizosphere and nematode eggmasses. 2) Determine the extent and significance of genetic diversity in P. chlamydosporia as a model. 3) Test the hypothesis that genetic and phenotypic variation in isolates as observed in naturally suppressive soils, represents different biotypes, essential for the regulation of populations of nematode hosts. 4) Exploit the unique collection fungal isolates collected from nematode-infested soils around the world, characterised using a range of biological, biochemical and molecular assays. 5) Provide essential information on the potential exploitation of single isolates of the fungus as biological control agents. 6) Address key questions that are relevant to more general fungal ecology: Are there differences in the spatio-temporal dynamics of different isolates of the fungus in the rhizosphere and soil?; Are all isolates found in soil represented in the rhizosphere and nematode eggmasses or are specific fungal isolates selected from the community to colonise these niches?; Is the physiological state of selected isolates related to their genetic background, does it influence their virulence or their saprophytic competitiveness?; Is there genetic exchange between isolates occupying the same niche?

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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