"Vitis vinifera, the grapevine species used for most commercial grape production world-wide, is highly susceptible to phylloxera. After phylloxera, root-nematodes are the second most important animal parasites of V. vinifera. Both pests have had considerable impact on viticulture world-wide. At present, the use of resistant rootstocks provides an adequate solution to the problems associated with infestation of vineyards by phylloxera or nematodes, although the grafting of V. vinifera to resistant rootstocks affects the longevity of the vines, and thus the quality of the grapes. Molecular biology and genetic engineering offer the prospect of providing well-defined genetic sources of resistance, which will enable the introduction of phylloxera and/or nematode resistance into elite rootstock varieties, or into V. vinifera itself.

The aim of this project is to isolate root-specific, wound-inducible gene promoter(s) and genes capable of disrupting phylloxera and/or nematode infestation in grapevine cultivars, which together might be used to confer resistance to root pests in a wide variety of agricultural crops. The identification of phylloxera-induced cDNAs in susceptible vines is a novel strategy in studying the molecular changes which take place when grapevine roots are invaded by root pests, and provides a unique system for characterizing root-pest interactions. We therefore expect new and exciting information to be obtained, as well as the production of a new range of genetic resources for the production of resistant plants.

This project will contribute to the international development of agricultural research, where Danish skills in plant biochemistry, pathology and molecular biology will supplement the existing molecular biological expertise of the Australian partner. The outcomes of this research will have applied significance, not only to viticulture, but also to a wide range of other agricultural and horticultural crops in Denmark which currently suffer devastating losses to root pests."

The project itself was interesting enough to drum up financial support from the Danish Research Council. In the spirit of all this enthusiasm (!), I have enrolled the help of a lab. technician (Karin Hansen) whom I am financing out of my own pocket (although Robyn van Heeswijck via the HVO has been very kind in contributing towards these expenses).

In this way I intend to compensate for my relatively short involvement in the project, making it possible for me to attain significant results in the space of 1 year. While Karen’s travel and accommodation expenses are being met by me, her major reward is this exceptional opportunity to be actively exposed to a competitive, international research environment. Together we have made considerable progress during the first 1/3 of the project, including:

• The isolation of mRNA and the preparation of CDNA from grapevine roots

• The preparation of a cDNA library of genes actively expressed in the roots

• The thorough characterization of this library

• The establishment of techniques and cultures for the differential screening of the library

• The initiation of the screening process