Main conclusionPhenological isolation can potentially reduce seed output and may be exploited as a novel tool for ecological management of dioecious weeds. Dioecious plants may benefit from a maximized outcrossing and optimal sex-specific resource allocation; however, this breeding system may also be exploited for weed management. Seed production i...
Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.), one of the five domesticated Phaseolus bean crops, shows a wide range of ecological adaptations along its distribution range from Mexico to Argentina. These adaptations make it a promising crop for improving food security under predicted scenarios of climate change in Latin America and elsewhere. In this work, we c...
Pathogens modulate plant cell structure and function by secreting effectors into host tissues. Effectors typically function by associating with host molecules and modulating their activities. This study aimed to identify the host processes targeted by the RXLR class of host-translocated effectors of the potato blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans...
Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a monopartite begomovirus within the family Geminiviridae with a single stranded (ss) circular DNA genome of 2.6 kb. TYLCV is one of the most devastating plant viruses worldwide and causes major yield losses in economically important crops like tomato. Its vector Bemisia tabaci is difficult to control and th...
This report starts with a literature review on the topic. From literature it is known that fungi can selectively digest lignin, thereby releasing other components which may subsequently be easily converted into biogas during anaerobic digestion of normally recalcitrant compounds. In addition, several authors have found that commercial fungi can be ...
The agricultural and consumer quality of Chinese cabbage is determined by its shape. The shape is defined by the folding of the heading leaves, which defines the head top shape (HTS). The overlapping HTS, in which the heading leaves curve inward and overlap at the top, is the shape preferred by consumers. To understand the genetic regulation of HTS...
Genetic gain in potato is hampered by the heterozygous tetraploid genome of cultivated potato. Converting potato into a diploid inbred-line based F1-hybrid crop provides a promising route towards increased genetic gain. The introduction of a dominant S-locus inhibitor (Sli) gene into diploid potato germplasm allows efficient generation of self-fert...
In nature manure is recycled by unique fungi (coprophilic fungi), which are capable of growth on substrates with high nitrogen contents. They bind a lot of the nutrients and in a delayed release they are making these nutrients available for plants, animals and insects, thereby closing nutrient cycles. This may provide opportunities for processing o...
Onion (Allium cepa) is a vegetable crop that is consumed and cultivated worldwide. The production of bulbs is threatened by pathogens and pests that infect onion plants and cause yield losses. Three severe diseases of onion are leaf blight, neck rot and white rot and all three are caused by fungi of the family Sclerotiniaceae. In chapter 1, the lon...
