Study Puts Efforts On Development Of Disease Control Methods With Environmental Impact

The Tokai National University Organization Nagoya University Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences Associate Professor Daigo Takemoto, Teruhiko Kuroyanagi Master’s Program student (at the time of research), Professor Hajime Oshika By identifying the various antibacterial substances that it produces, we have elucidated the mechanism of efficient infection of various plants .
Botrytis cinerea is a multi-criminal phytopathogenic fungus that causes disease in almost all vegetables, fruits, and flowers, including tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, strawberries, grapes, roses, and orchids. Decreased crop yields due to infection have become a global problem.
In this study, we clarified a part of the mechanism by which Botrytis can infect various species of plants. In addition, by identifying antibacterial substances in plants, Botrytis fungus activates different combinations of gene clusters when infecting tomatoes, peppers, and grapes, and activates the appropriate infection mechanism when causing disease in each plant species. made it clear that
Based on the results of this research, if it is possible to develop gene-targeted RNA pesticides that have an important function in the infection of the discovered gray mold fungus, it will be possible to control the infectivity of pathogenic microorganisms and control the disease with little environmental impact. It is hoped that the law will be enacted .
The results of this research were published in the electronic version of the international academic journal “PNAS Nexus” at midnight on December 22, 2022 (Japan time).