Project Number: 5320-21000-011-13
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 05, 2008
End Date: Jul 31, 2013

Objective:
The objectives of this cooperative research project are to: -Develop virus-resistant plants using transgenic plant technology. -Evaluate lines of transgenic lettuce and tomato for tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) resistance. -Develop orchid plants with resistance to cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV).

Approach:
We will work towards developing virus-resistant plants, using transgenic plant technology. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) has worldwide impact, and particularly in the tropics and subtropics. We have cloned and sequenced several TSWV genes, and transferred them to lettuce plants. We will evaluate these lines for TSWV resistance. In addition, we will evaluate lines of transgenic tomato for TSWV resistance. These tomato plants were developed by the PBARC research group, and contain a gene for TSWV resistance bred in using conventional means, in addition to a TSWV transgene. After initial greenhouse evaluations, we will move the most promising lines on to field trials. TSWV is an extremely important plant virus in Hawaii and elsewhere, and the development of TSWV-resistant lettuce and tomato will greatly benefit agriculture in Hawaii and abroad. Work will also begin towards developing orchid plants with resistance to cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV), the most important orchid virus worldwide. Most Hawaiian orchid growers that sell cut flowers specialize in a just a few Dendrobium varieties, and experience CymMV infection rates of over 90%. These growers have selected cultivars with good tolerance to virus infection, but they are now severely limited with regard to bringing in new cultivars, as well as selling potted plants. In addition, shipments of orchids from overseas are often infected with CymMV, so there is an influx of new CymMV strains to Hawaii. Recent techniques for engineering virus resistance in plants can provide resistance to multiple strains of a plant virus, and we have cloned and sequenced several of the Hawaiian isolates of CymMV. The availability of CymMV-resistant dendrobiums will benefit the orchid cut-flower growers directly, and will also aid the entire orchid industry by reducing the overall numbers of virus-infected plants. Documents SCA with U of HI -Hilo.