Porous Silica-Based Nanocapsules for Targeted and Controlled Release of Biocides. The project will lead to significant advances in nanotechnology and agrichemical biocide applications. A highly efficient insect control technology will be developed, that will be cost-effective with the ability for targeted control and release of biocides. The encapsulation technology will reduce the total usage and costs of biocides thus benefit the environment in terms of reduced environment pollution and enhanc ....Porous Silica-Based Nanocapsules for Targeted and Controlled Release of Biocides. The project will lead to significant advances in nanotechnology and agrichemical biocide applications. A highly efficient insect control technology will be developed, that will be cost-effective with the ability for targeted control and release of biocides. The encapsulation technology will reduce the total usage and costs of biocides thus benefit the environment in terms of reduced environment pollution and enhanced ecological safety.Read moreRead less
Pathogenicity genes of the blackleg fungal pathogen of canola. Blackleg disease, caused by the fungus, Leptosphaeria maculans, is the most serious disease of canola (Brassica napus) Australia and worldwide. Control strategies require knowledge of mechanisms of both plant defence (resistance) and fungal pathogenicity; little is known about such processes for blackleg. I will make pathogenicity mutants of L.maculans (unable to attack canola) and characterise the mutated genes. This project will ....Pathogenicity genes of the blackleg fungal pathogen of canola. Blackleg disease, caused by the fungus, Leptosphaeria maculans, is the most serious disease of canola (Brassica napus) Australia and worldwide. Control strategies require knowledge of mechanisms of both plant defence (resistance) and fungal pathogenicity; little is known about such processes for blackleg. I will make pathogenicity mutants of L.maculans (unable to attack canola) and characterise the mutated genes. This project will develop a better understanding of the disease process for blackleg, identify novel disease control targets in this important fungus and lead to disease resistant canola.Read moreRead less
Phytochemistry Of Thrips Resistance In Potato And Its Influence On Acquisition And Transmission Of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. TSWV causes multi-million dollar losses to the Australian potato industry, which is the countries largest and most valuable vegetable commodity and an important source of income and employment for rural communities. Development of TSWV epidemics relies on the activity of vector thrips acquiring virus from infected plants and transmitting it to healthy potatoes. Deployment ....Phytochemistry Of Thrips Resistance In Potato And Its Influence On Acquisition And Transmission Of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. TSWV causes multi-million dollar losses to the Australian potato industry, which is the countries largest and most valuable vegetable commodity and an important source of income and employment for rural communities. Development of TSWV epidemics relies on the activity of vector thrips acquiring virus from infected plants and transmitting it to healthy potatoes. Deployment of thrips resistant potato would greatly assist disease control. This project will determine the efficacy of thrips resistance in reducing TSWV epidemics and identify the chemical basis of resistance, which could be used as a screening tool for potato breeding, and could form the basis of a synthetic chemical tool for thrips prevention in potato and other crops.Read moreRead less
Compost extract: a new paradigm for disease management in sustainable horticulture. There is significant legislative and consumer pressure worldwide to reduce the amount of pesticide applied to food crops. Compost extract is a watery extract of mature compost that when applied to a crop canopy allows simultaneous suppression of a broad range of plant diseases while maintaining biodiversity in an agricultural ecosystem. This technology represents a paradigm shift from the monoculture approach o ....Compost extract: a new paradigm for disease management in sustainable horticulture. There is significant legislative and consumer pressure worldwide to reduce the amount of pesticide applied to food crops. Compost extract is a watery extract of mature compost that when applied to a crop canopy allows simultaneous suppression of a broad range of plant diseases while maintaining biodiversity in an agricultural ecosystem. This technology represents a paradigm shift from the monoculture approach of single-target fungicides or biological control agents. Scientific evaluation has been hampered by a lack of standard production techniques. Our aim is to identify and characterise compost extract technology that produces known and consistently high levels of effectiveness and safety.Read moreRead less
Refinement And Delivery Of Synthetic Compounds That Specifically Alter Muscle Contraction. The project has broad benefits for the nation and the community. Cutting edge research at the molecular level, done within Australia, will benefit Australian scientists and research in general. The discovery of drugs that will be developed by the Australian Pharmaceutical Industry will benefit the Australian Industry sector and will have spin-offs for the racing industry, livestock industry (lean meat) an ....Refinement And Delivery Of Synthetic Compounds That Specifically Alter Muscle Contraction. The project has broad benefits for the nation and the community. Cutting edge research at the molecular level, done within Australia, will benefit Australian scientists and research in general. The discovery of drugs that will be developed by the Australian Pharmaceutical Industry will benefit the Australian Industry sector and will have spin-offs for the racing industry, livestock industry (lean meat) and for rural industry (insecticides). In addition, expansion of the outcomes of the project into preclinical development will strengthen the Australian bioscience sector. Thus the project will eventually benefit the Australian industry sector. The project will have further benefits for education and training. Read moreRead less
Biological control of grapevine scales. Wine grapes can be grown with a minimum of pesticide and fungicide applications in some regions, but biological control is still required to maintain populations of major pests. This project is concerned with grapevine and frosted scales, which are common pests of grapevines. The distribution and identity of different grapevine scales, and their main parasitoids, in the various grape growing regions of Australia will be determined by initial surveys. Exper ....Biological control of grapevine scales. Wine grapes can be grown with a minimum of pesticide and fungicide applications in some regions, but biological control is still required to maintain populations of major pests. This project is concerned with grapevine and frosted scales, which are common pests of grapevines. The distribution and identity of different grapevine scales, and their main parasitoids, in the various grape growing regions of Australia will be determined by initial surveys. Experiments and laboratory studies of the interaction of the various predators and parasitoids will be undertaken to develop a biological control program of the scales aimed at reducing pesticide input.Read moreRead less
Characterisation of Genes involved in Secondary Metabolism in the Blackleg Pathogen of Canola. Blackleg caused by the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans is the major disease of canola. In spite of the economic importance of this fungus, little is known about its metabolic pathways, its genes and how they are organised. We have sequenced a large piece of L. maculans DNA comprising eight genes, including a regulatory gene and one that may be may be involved in producing secondary metabolites such as ....Characterisation of Genes involved in Secondary Metabolism in the Blackleg Pathogen of Canola. Blackleg caused by the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans is the major disease of canola. In spite of the economic importance of this fungus, little is known about its metabolic pathways, its genes and how they are organised. We have sequenced a large piece of L. maculans DNA comprising eight genes, including a regulatory gene and one that may be may be involved in producing secondary metabolites such as phytotoxins. We will determine the role of these genes in metabolism and the disease process, thus providing insights into secondary metabolism and gene regulation in this important plant pathogen.Read moreRead less
Fungal Glucanase Genes for Engineering Disease Resistance in Plants. Plants can be engineered for resistance to fungal diseases by transformation with recombinant genes encoding chitinase or glucanase. Although fungi are prolific producers of glucanases, with some species producing novel forms, they have been unexplored as a source of useful glucanases. This project will isolate glucanase-producing fungi from soil, screen them for antifungal activity, and clone the glucanase genes from one or m ....Fungal Glucanase Genes for Engineering Disease Resistance in Plants. Plants can be engineered for resistance to fungal diseases by transformation with recombinant genes encoding chitinase or glucanase. Although fungi are prolific producers of glucanases, with some species producing novel forms, they have been unexplored as a source of useful glucanases. This project will isolate glucanase-producing fungi from soil, screen them for antifungal activity, and clone the glucanase genes from one or more isolates. In view of the high degree of biodiversity in WA soils, we have a high expectation of finding novel glucanases which will be useful for engineering disease resistance in plants, or for other industrial processes.Read moreRead less
Attract and reward: a novel approach to enhancing biological control of crop pests. Pests cause serious damage to Australia's agricultural crops. Current control relies heavily on synthetic pesticides. This project will develop novel products based on natural plant compounds to attract beneficial insects into crops where they will be supported with nectar, pollen and shelter to maximise their lifespan, reproduction, residency. This use of Australia's beneficial insect biodiversity will provide ....Attract and reward: a novel approach to enhancing biological control of crop pests. Pests cause serious damage to Australia's agricultural crops. Current control relies heavily on synthetic pesticides. This project will develop novel products based on natural plant compounds to attract beneficial insects into crops where they will be supported with nectar, pollen and shelter to maximise their lifespan, reproduction, residency. This use of Australia's beneficial insect biodiversity will provide novel pest control options to help transform the vegetable and grape industries. The work will reduce reliance on conventional pesticides; thereby contributing towards Australia's environmental sustainability and providing healthier foodstuffs. Read moreRead less
Mechanisms and management of inducible tolerance to synthetic insecticides and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-formulations in Australian populations of diamondback moth. Insects have a cunning ability to respond to damaging environments by evolving genetic resistance or mobilising metabolic tolerance mechanisms. Recent observations of inducible tolerance to synthetic and biopesticides, which can be transmitted to offspring by a maternal effect has the potential to cause ecological and economic prob ....Mechanisms and management of inducible tolerance to synthetic insecticides and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-formulations in Australian populations of diamondback moth. Insects have a cunning ability to respond to damaging environments by evolving genetic resistance or mobilising metabolic tolerance mechanisms. Recent observations of inducible tolerance to synthetic and biopesticides, which can be transmitted to offspring by a maternal effect has the potential to cause ecological and economic problems in agricultural production. We will use field-collected Diamondback moth (DBM), a major insect pest in canola and brassica vegetable crops, to investigate the genetic implications of inducible tolerance for the integrated management of DBM and for the design of new resistance management strategies.Read moreRead less