Pak-US Project Awarded to Dr. Shahid Mansoor, "Characterization and utilization of G. arboreum as source of resistance against begomoviruses that are threat to Pakistan and USA"

PI:                            Dr. Shahid Mansoor

Approved funds:         Approximately  US$ 170,200/-

Rationale of the project:

Geminiviruses are global threat to agriculture as modern trade has disseminated whiteflies and whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses (Genus begomoviruses) to geographical areas where they were not found earlier. These viruses are major limiting factor for cotton in Pakistan and India. All cotton varieties grown in USA are susceptible to the disease and thus there exist a threat to cotton crop in USA. G. arboreum is completely immune to virus and our analysis suggests that G. gossypoides is also resistant to the disease. The project is aimed at utilization of G. arboreum either through interspecific hybridization or expression of putative genes in transgenic cotton that confer resistance against cotton leaf curl virus complex in G. arboreum.

Objectives:

Characterization of resistance in G. arboreum by using resistance gene analogs from G. arboruem to identify BAC clones containing resistance genes.

Use of bioinformatic and molecular tools to identify polymorphism in genes that are involved in virus-host interactions

Polyploidation of G. arboreum and G. gossypoides for breeding of resistance in cotton

Transformation of BAC clones or genes involved in virus-host interaction in susceptible cotton.

Partners:

1)         Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan, Pakistan

 Targets:

Polyploidation of G. arboreum and G. gossypoides for breeding of resistance in cotton by crossing G. arboreum with G. gossypoides (Both G. arboreum and G. gossypoides are resistant to cotton leaf curl disease complex).

Testing of synthetic polyploid for resistance against cotton leaf curl disease complex.

Utilization of DNA markers developed in the project for interspecific hybridization program.

2)         NIBGE, Faisalabad

Targets:

Use of bioinformatic and molecular tools to identify polymorphism in genes that are involved in virus-host interactions such as those that interact with geminiviruses or are involved in gene silencing pathway.

Develop DNA markers that can be utilized in interspecific hybridization program.

Overexpression of ubiquitin conjugating protein (UBC3; a gene involved in interaction with betaC1 protein) from G.  arboreum in G. hirsutum.

Transformation of BAC clones containing putative resistance genes in G. hirsutum.

Testing of synthetic polyploid for resistance against cotton leaf curl disease complex.

Capacity building of CCRI staff in using molecular in interspecific hybridization program.

3)         University of Georgia, USA

 Targets:

Characterization of resistance in G. arboreum by using resistance gene analogs from G. arboruem to identify BAC clones containing resistance genes.

Capacity building by training of scientists from Pakistan.