Chemical genetic approach toward eradication of noxious parasitic weed Striga hermonthica

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15KT0031
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 特設分野
• Research Field: Food Cycle Research
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Tsuchiya Yuichiro 名古屋大学, トランスフォーマティブ生命分子研究所, 特任准教授 (00442989)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): URAGUCHI Daisuke 名古屋大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (70426328)
• Research Collaborator: KUWATA Keiko ; SATO Ayato
• Project Period (FY): 2015-07-10 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ストリゴラクトン / 植物ホルモン / 寄生植物 / ストライガ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A nixious parasitic plant called Striga hermonthica (Striga) represents a major threat to food security in Africa. In this research project, I focused on a host-depent germination mechanism in Striga and use it to develop a specific herbicide that lead the seeds to "suicide germination". The developed molecule (code name : SAMR690), which is composed of synthetic scaffold connected with the active core structure of strigolactones, exhibits extraordinary potency in stimulating Striga germination at femto-molar range without impinging on beneficial functions in the host strigolactone-related processes. Most importantly, the three-step procedure for synthesizing SAMO-Me-690 greatly increases the potential for Striga eradication via suicide germination campaigns in Africa.

Free Research Field

植物ケミカルバイオロジー