Nanoformulation development aiming at sustainable management of agricultural plant pathogens

• Grant number: 19/23217-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2021
• End date: July 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Agreement: CONFAP - National Council of State Research Support Foundations
• Principal Investigator: Alessandra Alves de Souza
• Grantee: Alessandra Alves de Souza
• Host Institution: Instituto Agronômico (IAC). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Luciano Paulino da Silva ; Marco Aurélio Takita
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/04112-7 - Antisense oligonucleotides application for silencing in Citrus sinensis genes LOB1 e EXPANSINA, BP.TT; 21/09689-8 - Antisense oligonucleotides application for silencing Citrus sinensis genes pds, lob1 and calS7, BP.TT; 21/01602-0 - Antisense oligonucleotides application for silencing Citrus sinensis genes pds, lob1 and cals7, BP.TT

Abstract

Recently, efforts have been focused on the development of the Bioeconomy that brings together all sectors of the economy that use biological resources (living things) in a rational and sustainable manner. This business intends to provide coherent, effective and concrete solutions to major social challenges such as climate change, fossil resource substitution, food security, and population health. This economic activity is dependent on bioscience research and aims to transform knowledge and new technologies into innovation for industry and society. In this context, the present proposal aims to present technological solutions for the control in a sustainable management of important plant pathogens, thus contributing to the bioeconomy of these regions. It is expected to develop innovative strategies using nanobiotechnology for the control of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, which causes citrus canker, Candidatus liberibacter, responsible for HLB (citrus greening), besides Xanthomonas spp. causing tomato bacterial stain. A survey of biological sources will be undertaken for the development of nanosystems. Those that are effective in the formation of nanomaterials will be evaluated for their bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic properties in addition to their effect on target plants in the control of plant pathogens. This effect on plants will also be evaluated using genomics and proteomics techniques. From these biological and sustainable sources, it is proposed to generate nanoformulations for direct application in the plant aiming for the inhibition of plant-pathogen growth or induction of resistance in the plant. In addition, it is expected to develop a nanoformulation for nucleic acid transport aimed at silencing susceptibility genes in the plant and/or virulence in the pathogen, thus leading to disease control. In this stage of the work, antisense oligonucleotides (free and / or nanoencapsulated) will be used to obtain gene silencing. This approach will be carried out in close collaboration with Dr. Laurence Bindschedler of RHUL (Royal Holloway University of London), who has great expertise in this subject. The obtained results can be extended to other pathogens and crops of importance to the country and have great potential for the generation of sustainable products with a low impact on the environment, thus being fully aligned with the Bioeconomics premises. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE LIMA, LUIZ FELIPE FRANCO; CARVALHO, ISIS GABRIELA BARBOSA; DE SOUZA-NETO, REINALDO RODRIGUES; DOS SANTOS, LARISSA DA SILVA; NASCIMENTO, CESAR AUGUSTO; TAKITA, MARCO AURELIO; TAVORA, FABIANO TOUZDJIAN PINHEIRO KOHLRAUSCH; MEHTA, ANGELA; DE SOUZA, ALESSANDRA ALVES. Antisense Oligonucleotide as a New Technology Application for CsLOB1 Gene Silencing Aiming at Citrus Canker Resistance. PHYTOPATHOLOGY, v. 114, n. 8, p. 8-pg., 2024-08-14. (21/09689-8, 17/13885-1, 20/04795-1, 19/23217-1, 22/04112-7)