STRIGOLACTONES AS KEY PLAYERS IN THE INTERACTION PLANT-AM FUNGUS-PARASITIC NEMATODE: IMPLICATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) cause important crop losses, existing an urgent need to find environmentally-friendly alternatives to their chemical control. The project aims to explore the combined effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and strigolactones (SLs) as a sustainable alternative against PPNs. Symbiosis with AMF has been shown to protect plants against the attack of the PPN Meloidogyne incognita. SLs are key signalling molecules in the AMF-plant communication and in nematode attraction. The objective of the project is to study the impact of different AMF species on SL production and nematode control, using tomato plants as model. The research is planned in two steps: 1) Comparison of the effects of different AMF species on SL production and M. incognita performance. 2) Test of synergistic effects of AMF and synthetic SL application on the performance of M. incognita-infected plants. This project will offer insights into the tripartite interplay AMF-SLs- PPNs and its potential use as an environmentally-friendly strategy in pest suppression.