J (Jeroen) van Weperen MSc

NemEmerge: Heat-stable plant resistances

Plant parasitic nematodes form a major threat to agriculture, as these tiny, soil-borne roundworms drain energy from infected plants, causing substantial stunting and yield loss. The most harmful types of plant parasitic nematodes are those from the Meloidogyne genus, called root-knot nematodes (RKNs), together with the cyst nematodes. Certain RKN species reproduce optimally at 25-30°C, and can survive up to 35°C. Global warming, with its milder winters, allows these RKNs to produce more generations annually, and for the "tropical" species to thrive. As a result, these nematodes are expected to emerge further and further into northern Europe.

Warmer temperatures lead to a double challenge; one of the most important nematode resistances currently used in tomato cultivars falters at temperatures above ~28°C. When a nematode infects a plant, it delivers 'effectors' into a root cell, which enable it to form a feeding site. Under normal circumstances, resistant cultivars produce specific proteins, called NLRs, that can detect these effectors and induce a defence response. As part of the NemEmerge project, we aim to unravel the molecular mechanisms behind the temperature sensitivity of this resistance. We want to do this through modelling of the involved proteins, in order to subsequently engineer their sequence and characterise them on a molecular level. In the end, we intend to develop strategies to obtain (nematode) resistances that remain functional at elevated temperatures.