Location: Crop Production and Pest Control Research
Project Number: 5020-21000-001-005-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2024
End Date: Jun 30, 2025
Objective:
1. Identify genes and gene functions in the greenbug-wheat interaction.
2. Functional analysis of identified genes associated with greenbug virulence and cereal plant susceptibility.
3. Identify and discover the role of the mirobiome and core bacterial symbionts in virus transmission and susceptibility to the virus in aphids.
Approach:
We will undertake a transcriptomics approach of greenbugs on cereals. Genes that are differentially expressed will be identified and validated via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Putative candidate genes identified in the aphid-virulence v. aphid-avirulence interactions will be functionally characterized. Gene expression will be analyzed via qRT-PCR to attempt to reveal the role of symbionts (eg. Buchnera) in virus transmission and host susceptibility. The entire microbial community will be analyzed via next-gen sequencing to identify global changes in the community associated with host susceptibility and virus transmission.
