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Tackling a plant disease that increasingly threatens lettuce production has moved a major step closer, thanks to a 1.5 million euro funding for a new research project. The project aims to unravel the molecular interactions between lettuce and the pathogen that causes Fusarium wilt. This might lead to new lettuce varieties that remain disease-resistant in a warming climate. Biologist Michael Seidl will lead the project, in collaboration with Guido van den Ackerveken, and colleagues from the ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� of Amsterdam and plant breeding companies.

Fusarium wilt, caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum, has emerged as a major threat to lettuce production worldwide. Recent outbreaks in Europe are posing severe risks to crop yield and quality. Climate change has been suspected to be a driving force behind the growing severity, since Fusarium thrives depending on climate conditions.

A new research project, led by biologist Michael Seidl, will analyse the evolution and virulence of Fusarium under changing climate conditions. Ultimately, this may lead to the development of new lettuce varieties that are less vulnerable to Fusarium, and can still produce sufficient yields despite changing temperatures.

TKI funding

The project has now received a 1.5 million euro funding through Topconsortium for Knowledge and Innovation (TKI) . This also involves funding and contributions from industry partners. The funding allows Seidl and now collaborators to start the project. Researchers from the ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� of Amsterdam are also involved in the project, as well as researchers from the major breeding companies working on lettuce.

Fusarium wilt is becoming an increasingly aggressive disease, due to climate change. This poses a serious threat to global lettuce production.

“Lettuce is a vital crop, both economically and nutritionally,” says Seidl. “But now we see Fusarium wilt becoming an increasingly aggressive disease, due to climate change. This poses a serious threat to global lettuce production.”

Now the project has secured its TKI funding, Seidl’s team will investigate how Fusarium evolves and what happens on a molecular level when lettuce becomes infected with Fusarium. Also, the team will analyse how climate change influences disease development.

State of the art technologies

The research will be carried out at Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� and the ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� of Amsterdam. It will leverage advanced genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic technologies to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying Fusarium wilt infection. Additionally, the project will use the state of the art at Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��. Here, the team will simulate climate conditions and study the interaction between lettuce and Fusarium under various temperature scenarios.

Academia and industry collaborating

The project is supported by leading international breeding companies, including BASF|Nunhems, Bejo, Enza Zaden, Limagrain, Rijk Zwaan, Syngenta, and Takii. These industry partners will invest both cash and in-kind resources in the project, contributing half of the 1.5 million euro TKI funding.

We aim to not only understand the current dynamics of Fusarium wilt, but also anticipate future outbreaks.

“This project is a great opportunity to bring together academia and industry to tackle a major agricultural challenge,” says Seidl. “Together, we are integrating cutting-edge genomics and molecular biology techniques with climate data. This way, we aim to not only understand the current dynamics of Fusarium wilt, but also anticipate future outbreaks. Ultimately, we can equip plant breeders with the necessary tools to develop resistant lettuce varieties, that they would not have been able to develop individually.”