Location: Corn Host Plant Resistance Research
Project Number: 6064-21000-018-004-N
Project Type: Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2024
End Date: Sep 30, 2028
Objective:
To understand the underlying molecular mechanisms that enable fall armyworm and southwestern corn borer to cope with plant toxins, insecticides, and other environmental factors. The goal is to eventually "interfere" with these intricate relationships more precisely using molecular techniques to protect crops from these insect pests.
Approach:
To conduct:
1. Bioassay methods using plant tissues or insect artificial diets supplemented with xenobiotics.
2. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) approach to measure gene expression levels of individual detoxification enzymes.
3. Transcriptomic analysis to understand dynamics of global gene expression upon exposure to toxins.
