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Research Project:
Field Identification of Pathogens Producing Aflatoxin Based on Detection of Gene Expression During Crop/fungal Interactions
Location:
Food and Feed Safety Research
Project Number: 6435-42000-016-00
Project Type:
Appropriated
Start Date: Mar 27, 2001
End Date: Mar 26, 2006
Objective:
Control aflatoxin contamination of cottonseed through incorporation of foreign antifungal genes into cotton by genetic engineering. Determine plant stress effects on abilities of cotton and corn to mount defenses against A. flavus. Use detection of gene expression during crop/fungal interaction to develop rapid field identification methods to detect aflatoxin contamination, as well as associated biochemical resistance markers for use in marker assisted breeding to identify corn inbreds resistant to fungal invasion.
Approach:
Cotton meristematic tissue will be transformed with antifungal genes via the biolistic method and regenerated into fully developed cotton plants. To assess the effectiveness of candidate genes to inhibit growth of Aspergillus flavus in cotton, genes will be placed under constitutive control using the CaMV 35S promoter. Genes effective against A. flavus will be placed under more selective control (e.g., seed specific expression) using specific promoter elements. Cottonseed and corn kernels will be treated with elicitors derived from fungal cell walls and/or the lipoxygenase pathway in cotton to test for induction of native plant resistances to A. flavus. Anatomical and biochemical changes will be measured in cotton and corn which are related to water and/or nutrient stress and to defensive capabilities against A. flavus invasion. A reporter gene-containing tester strain of A. flavus will be used to detect and localize antifungal activities/traits in individual corn kernels of inbred lines used in breeding commercial corn hybrids resistant to aflatoxin contamination.
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