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Project properties |
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| Title | Investigating a resistance mechanism against aphids in sugar beets |
| Group | Virology, Laboratory of |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 36 |
| Supervisor(s) | Sharella Schop |
| Examiner(s) | Monique van Oers |
| Contact info | Sharella.Schop@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2022/02/01 |
| End date | 2023/02/01 |
| Description | Mature Plant Resistance (MPR) is an age-induced resistance mechanism in sugar beet plants against aphids. Aphids are the vector species of multiple sugar beet-infecting viruses, which result in yield losses up to 50%. With this project, you will study the underlying molecular pathway of MPR and contribute to the understanding how plants defend themselves against aphids. In this project, you will study aphid behaviour and use molecular tools to unravel which secondary metabolites are involved in resistance against aphids. There are also possibilities to investigate the role of Beet Yellowing viruses in plant resistance or the effect of environmental factors on the resistance mechanism. This research can also be part of an internship. If you are interested in plant-insect interactions, and you are eager to learn a wide array of techniques, this research topic might be just for you. If interested, please contact me by e-mail; Sharella.schop@wur.nl |
| Used skills | Behavioural experiments, PCR, gel-electrophoresis, primer-design, qPCR, artificial diet experiments, data-analysis, scientific writing. |
| Requirements | For doing a Msc-thesis or internship at Virology, the course Molecular virology (VIR-30306) or Fundamental and Applied Virology (VIR-30806) should be completed. |