Award details

Innovative approaches to pest management

Reference	BBS/E/C/00005194
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Michael Birkett
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Rothamsted Research
Department	Rothamsted Research Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	2,585,006
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2012
End date	31/03/2017
Duration	59 months

Abstract

We will exploit long established and acclaimed expertise in the identification and development of pheromones and other semiochemicals for use in crop protection. The work now embodies molecular genetic approaches and specifically targets delivered through seed via breeding and GM technologies. Semiochemicals are small lipophilic molecules (SLMs) that can be generated as plant secondary metabolites and represent a more flexible and robust alternative to current pest control targets for GM, which are mostly direct gene products. Only now do we have the necessary analytical and molecular tools to exploit SLMs by modifying secondary plant metabolism with the advantage that we can use non-toxic signalling mechanisms as alternatives to toxic modes of action, as embodied in semiochemicals. Thus, the main thrust is to exploit semiochemicals as secondary metabolites. Where defensive metabolites are already present in crop species, but acting by direct physiological methods, this will be included, though usually with uplift support. This will be achieved through the following objectives: 1: Identification of signalling chemicals involved in interactions between insects and between insects and their host plants. 2: Investigation of molecular interactions between the signals and their recognition proteins. 3: Elucidation of the molecular basis of natural stress-related induction of plant defences to insects. 4: Deployment of semiochemical strategies at the farm scale.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Crop Science, Plant Science
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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