Novel materials development for plant stress resilience

Project Overview

This project addresses the critical need for sustainable alternatives to chemical fungicides in controlling Fusarium oxysporum, a devastating soil-borne pathogen causing crop wilt diseases. We establish an innovative CRISPR gene-editing platform to develop avirulent Fusarium strains as biological control agents through targeted modification of virulence factors. The research employs Arabidopsis thaliana as a comprehensive analysis platform to evaluate gene-edited strain efficacy and identify plant stress resilience biomarkers. Through transcriptomic analysis and qPCR-based assessment systems, this integrated approach combines cutting-edge gene-editing technology with robust molecular frameworks, advancing sustainable agricultural practices whilst reducing chemical pesticide dependency.

Project Aims

• Develop comprehensive gene-editing systems for Fusarium oxysporum
• Establish Arabidopsis-based stress resilience analysis platforms
• Construct practical analytical frameworks and toolkits

Project output

The project has successfully established a CRISPR gene-editing platform optimised for Fusarium oxysporum with demonstrated editing efficiency. The comprehensive Arabidopsis-based analysis platform has been validated, providing standardised protocols for evaluating fungal pathogenicity and plant stress responses. Through systematic testing, multiple stress-responsive genes have been identified and characterised as reliable molecular biomarkers for plant resilience assessment. These validated gene targets enable qPCR-based analytical approaches for future material evaluation. The established methodology provides foundational technology for advancing sustainable agricultural practices, with protocols ready for technology transfer and broader agricultural biotechnology applications.