Innovating Works

AGRISCENTS

Financiado
Scents and sensibility in agriculture exploiting specificity in herbivore and...
Scents and sensibility in agriculture exploiting specificity in herbivore and pathogen induced plant volatiles for real time crop monitoring Plants typically release large quantities of volatiles in response to attack by herbivores or pathogens. I may claim to have contributed to various breakthroughs in this research field, including the discovery that the volatile bl... Plants typically release large quantities of volatiles in response to attack by herbivores or pathogens. I may claim to have contributed to various breakthroughs in this research field, including the discovery that the volatile blends induced by different attackers are astonishingly specific, resulting in characteristic, readily distinguishable odour blends. Using maize as our model plant, I wish to take several leaps forward in our understanding of this signal specificity and use this knowledge to develop sensors for the real-time detection of crop pests and diseases. For this, three interconnected work-packages will aim to: • Develop chemical analytical techniques and statistical models to decipher the odorous vocabulary of plants, and to create a complete inventory of odour-prints for a wide range of herbivore-plant and pathogen-plant combinations, including simultaneous infestations. • Develop and optimize nano-mechanical sensors for the detection of specific plant volatile mixtures. For this, we will initially adapt a prototype sensor that has been successfully developed for the detection of cancer-related volatiles in human breath. • Genetically manipulate maize plants to release a unique blend of root-produced volatiles upon herbivory. For this, we will engineer gene cassettes that combine recently identified P450 (CYP) genes from poplar with inducible, root-specific promoters from maize. This will result in maize plants that, in response to pest attack, release easy-to-detect aldoximes and nitriles from their roots. In short, by investigating and manipulating the specificity of inducible odour blends we will generate the necessary knowhow to develop a novel odour-detection device. The envisioned sensor technology will permit real-time monitoring of the pests and enable farmers to apply crop protection treatments at the right time and in the right place. ver más
29/02/2024
2M€
Duración del proyecto: 68 meses Fecha Inicio: 2018-06-22
Fecha Fin: 2024-02-29

Línea de financiación: concedida

El organismo H2020 notifico la concesión del proyecto el día 2024-02-29
Línea de financiación objetivo El proyecto se financió a través de la siguiente ayuda:
ERC-2017-ADG: ERC Advanced Grant
Cerrada hace 7 años
Presupuesto El presupuesto total del proyecto asciende a 2M€
Líder del proyecto
UNIVERSITE DE NEUCHATEL No se ha especificado una descripción o un objeto social para esta compañía.