BOTANY DEPARTMENT

Contract Number : ICA4-CT-2000-30033 Period : 1 January 2001 to 30 June 2004

European Union funded collaborative research project (INCO-DEV programme)

GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF MAIZE TO ENHANCE FOOD SAFETY BY
INTRODUCING RESISTANCE TO FUSARIUM MONILIFORME

OBJECTIVES

The major objective of this project is to develop improved maize genotypes with increased resistance to Fusarium moniliforme. Specific objectives are:

To characterize F. moniliforme (= F.verticillioides) isolates from Europe and Africa.
To develop screening methods to evaluate maize genotypes for resistance to the fungus.
To evaluate the synergistic effect of four plant anti-fungal defense genes against F. moniliforme.
To use directed evolution by DNA shuffling to develop novel and improved anti-fungal genes.
To produce transgenic maize with stable inheritance of selected plant anti-fungal genes, and evaluate resistance in the field.

ACTIVITIES

The Plant Pathology module will entail collection, identification and phylogenetic analysis of F. moniliforme isolates from Zambia, South Africa, Italy and the Netherlands. Zambian scientists will undergo training in plant pathology techniques in the Netherlands. Maize genotypes with known tolerance to the fungus will be tested in greenhouse and field tests to select the most durable source of genetic resistance in both the African and European environments.
In the Molecular Tools module, four different plant anti-fungal defence genes will be inserted into maize transformation vectors. In addition, polygalacturonase inhibitor protein (PGIP) genes will be used in DNA shuffling experiments to produce novel and improved anti-fungal genes.
In the Maize Transformation module, selected maize lines will be transformed with the anti-fungal constructs. Transgenic maize plants will be analysed for stable integration, expression and inheritance of the anti-fungal genes using molecular methods. In the third year, field-grown maize will be challenged with virulent F. moniliforme to compare existing genetic tolerance with resistance obtained by the incorporation of anti-fungal genes.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Isolation of virulent F. moniliforme strains specific to each region.
Maize germplasm screened for resistance.
African scientists from Zambia and South Africa trained in Molecular Plant Pathology and Biosafety.
Field trials to evaluate whether transgenic maize expressing combinations of anti-fungal proteins exhibit greater resistance to F. moniliforme than the most tolerant maize germplasm.