Despite the role of viruses as an important challenge for society as cause of several diseases in humans, animals and plants, recent research has evidenced a more general "ecological" role of viruses as regulators of microbial communities, from the biogeochemical recycling cycles of the oceans, to altering mutualistic symbiotic relationships in different systems. Viruses are also a major driver of microbial evolution and bear a formidable potential as biotechnological tools including gene therapy, vaccine production and targeted pathogen removal. The VIROPLANT project (call SFS17) will address the role of the "virome" as a sub-component of the microbiome, with the aim of applying NGS technology and empirical biological experiments to develop new environmentally friendly virus-based control strategies to manage bacterial, fungal and insect vector-transmitted plant diseases (phytoplasmas and viruses) as well as insect pests. So far, plant protection through viruses has relied on limited successful model systems; moreover, viruses infecting bacteria (phages) are also state of the art tools with potential to cope with antibiotic resistant bacterial strains in human and veterinary medicine. VIROPLANT will pursue the use of viruses to increase the arsenal for the control of plant diseases caused by the most important biotic stresses. Protocols of risk assessment will be implemented for virome-based model control strategies. A business plan for representative categories of virome-based control strategies will be included. Stakeholders and SMEs will be involved in bringing the most promising products to the market. Interdisciplinary approaches involving sociological and communication expertise will specifically address the issue of how to convey to the general public the complex beneficial aspects that viruses can bring to plant biotic stress control, overcoming possible societal reluctance towards the use of virus-related new technologies.
Virome NGS analysis of pests and pathogens for plant protection
Turina M
2018
Abstract
Despite the role of viruses as an important challenge for society as cause of several diseases in humans, animals and plants, recent research has evidenced a more general "ecological" role of viruses as regulators of microbial communities, from the biogeochemical recycling cycles of the oceans, to altering mutualistic symbiotic relationships in different systems. Viruses are also a major driver of microbial evolution and bear a formidable potential as biotechnological tools including gene therapy, vaccine production and targeted pathogen removal. The VIROPLANT project (call SFS17) will address the role of the "virome" as a sub-component of the microbiome, with the aim of applying NGS technology and empirical biological experiments to develop new environmentally friendly virus-based control strategies to manage bacterial, fungal and insect vector-transmitted plant diseases (phytoplasmas and viruses) as well as insect pests. So far, plant protection through viruses has relied on limited successful model systems; moreover, viruses infecting bacteria (phages) are also state of the art tools with potential to cope with antibiotic resistant bacterial strains in human and veterinary medicine. VIROPLANT will pursue the use of viruses to increase the arsenal for the control of plant diseases caused by the most important biotic stresses. Protocols of risk assessment will be implemented for virome-based model control strategies. A business plan for representative categories of virome-based control strategies will be included. Stakeholders and SMEs will be involved in bringing the most promising products to the market. Interdisciplinary approaches involving sociological and communication expertise will specifically address the issue of how to convey to the general public the complex beneficial aspects that viruses can bring to plant biotic stress control, overcoming possible societal reluctance towards the use of virus-related new technologies.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
