Assessment of the elicitor potential of candidate products and use in the field

→ In the laboratory: development of two levels of screening

The molecular diagnostic tool qPFD® (quantitative RT-PCR microplate/low density DNA chip) was patented in 2011. This device enables to screen the products that are able to activate 28 defence markers in the referred plant.

Operational on apple, vine, tomato, potato, wheat

Protection tests enable to screen the products according to their ability to control pests under controlled conditions.

Operational on different pathosystems, ie : Apple / Venturia inaequalis (scab disease) & Apple / Erwinia amylovora (fireblight disease)

Both screening services are routinely available at VEGEPOLYS Research & Development Center.

→ Under production conditions: analysis of parameters that can influence the efficiency of the PRIs and study on their introduction in the technical itinerary.

Results of DEFI-STIM project (2010-2013) were promising on apple tree and are continuing in the current Casdar PEPS*project.

Marie-Noëlle Brisset

Research Director, INRA, team ResPom, IRHS

marie-noelle.brisset @ angers.inra.fr

Discovery of molecules able to inhibit the pathogen adaptive response of pests

The plantseed pathologists of Angers have characterised the mechanisms of the adaptative response of fungi to phytoalexins. The co-patented, together with SONAS laboratory, natural molecules able to inhibit the pathway of the cell-wall integrity pathway reinforcement of fungi, for example chelerythrine (natural alkaloïds). Only fungi in contact with phytoalexins will be affected by chelerythrine.

The concept has been validated in vitro on several pathosystems and with different phytoalexins. It has also been validated in planta, for example on cabbage / Alternaria brassicicola pathosystem (shown in the image).

Thomas Guillemette