Method of Producing Fruits from Any Commercial Virus-susceptible Tomato By Grafting on Resistant Stocks
Highlights
Plants are resistant to tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV)
Eliminates need for insecticides through resistance to whitefly vector Resistance to TYLCV proven across four generations Our Innovation
Circulative viruses such as TYLCV strongly bind to GroEL chaperonins produced by the insect vector endosymbiotic bacteria, in vivo and in vitro Whitefly GroEL was expressed in the phloem of tomato plants; upon whitefly-mediated inoculation, GroEL protein produced by the plants was able to trap TYLCV virions, blocking virus expansion and rendering the plant resistant to the virus GroEL-virus binding concept may be extended to other economically important circulative viruses infecting tomato such as CMV, TSWV and others GroEL-producing plants may be used as rootstocks: GroEL moves from the stock into the graft and may trap incoming viruses, rendering the susceptible graft, resistant. Any susceptible cultivar may be grafted on GroEL-producing rootstock The Opportunity
Burgeoning market for inherently disease-resistant plants not requiring insecticides Also effective with a variety of plants including but not exclusive to tobacco, cucumber, prunes, potatoes, beans, barley, soybean, pea, beet, grapevine, petunia, abutilon, melon, watermelon, okra, cotton, cassava, wheat, maize, rice, and cabbage Development Milestones
Appraise leading tomato cultivars for ability to be grafted on GroEL-expressing rootstocks (5 months, $5,000)
Appraise resistance of GroEL-containing susceptible graft to TYLCV inoculation; GroEL-virion complexing (5 months, $5,000)
Appraise resistance of GroEL-containing susceptible graft to other viruses deleterious to the tomato industry CMV and TSWV (12 months, $20,000)
Type of Offer:
Licensing
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