Thesis supervisor: Éva Várallyay
co-supervisor: Zsuzsanna Nagyné Dr. Galbács
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Doctoral School of Biological Scences Abbreviation of location of studies: BTDI
Description of the research topic:
Decline of fruit trees is a big agronomic problem decreasing crop yield constantly. As they are propagated on a vegetative way, it is crucial to test the propagative material with sensitive and reliable diagnostic methods. Traditional diagnostic methods of fruit trees and viruses can only test the presence of a particular pathogen, but with new metagenomics approaches we can prove the presence of all of the presenting pathogens: phytoplasmas and other type of bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens as well. Candidatus Phytoplasma mali and prunorum, causing Apple Proliferation Europien Stone fruit yellows are present in Hungary but their presence is not directly accused for causing the decline of the trees. Their detection method based on nested PCR, amplifying part of the 16S rRNA gene. Fruit trees can also be infected by viruses and viroids, altering phytoplasma derived symptoms and their effect can be coincide with the presence of other pathogens. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) revolutionized plant virology as with this method information about all the presenting pathogens in the sample can be disclosed. Presence of bacterial and fungal pathogens can be investigated by DNA Sequencing, while presence of viruses and viroids can be investigated by small RNA HTS, a special field of this new technology, which investigates small RNAs derived during virus infection by the RNA interference based defence mechanism of the host.
The aim of the project would be to survey apple orchards and variety collections using DNA Loop sequencing, small RNA HTS and RNAseq. The applicant would be involved from the sample collection through the DNA, RNA extraction and library preparation and bioinformatics analysis of the results till the validation of the results by different molecular biology based methods. Based on these we would described all the presenting pathogens in the sample. Further investigation of the complex infections can answer the question which pathogen in which combination cause symptoms leading to severe loss in crop yields. Our results will also give information about the variants or strains present in our country. This detailed information would help us not only to plan plant protection strategies, but find new avenues to prevent their spread and minimise their damage.
Required language skills: English Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2021-05-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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