The International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct three to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad.
This award will support a twenty-four month research fellowship (within a duration of 27 months) by Dr. Jonathan L. Padgham to work with Dr. Richard A. Sikora at the University of Bonn in Germany.
The PI and his host will investigate biological control of M. graminicola using endophytic organisms (bacteria and fungi that colonize internal root tissue). Biocontrol from within the host root, where the nematode completes its lifecycle, is potentially more effective than the predominate method of bulk and rhizosphere soil. The objectives of the research are 1) to test the biocontrol potential of endophytes, and their mode of action against M. graminicola; 2) to examine how the method and timing of endophyte delivery to the root impacts its biocontrol efficacy; and 3) to examine how soil flooding affects endophytic communities, and to investigate the combined effect of biocontrol and soil flooding on nematode suppression. These research questions will be tested in pot experiments at the University of Bonn, by artificially inoculating rice with the endophyte and the nematode in order to measure nematode penetration and reproduction, and assess endophyte colonization of root tissue. The application of this activity to society would be an enhanced capacity for the development of less invasive control measures for root-knot nematodes.
