Elucidation of the defense mechanism expressed in the phloem of rice that is resistant to Nephotettix cincticeps Uhler.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06065
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39040:Plant protection science-related
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Tamura Yasumori 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 生物機能利用研究部門, 上級研究員 (90370668)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 耐虫性作物 / 害虫抵抗性作物 / 昆虫植物相互作用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The green rice leafhopper (GRH), Nephotettix cincticeps Uhler (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), is an insect pest of rice and is distributed in temperate Asia. GRH causes direct damage by sucking sap from the phloem of susceptible rice varieties and indirect damage by transmitting viral and phytoplasmal diseases. It was suggested that GRH could not suck the phloem sap of resistant rice lines, although the mouthparts of GRH could reach the phloem. We conducted the experiment to determine whether proteins that are constantly present in the phloem sap of rice contribute to the defense response of rice against GRH. When one of the proteins in the phloem sap was knocked out using a resistant rice line, it was confirmed that the resistance decreased. This is the first report that a protein in the phloem sap of rice has been shown to be involved in sucking inhibition against GRH.

Free Research Field

植物保護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ツマグロヨコバイに対して抵抗性を示すイネ系統の篩部での吸汁阻害反応に、篩管液に恒常的に存在するタンパク質が関与することをCRISPR/Cas9の系を用いて明らかにした。ツマグロヨコバイ抵抗性イネの防御機構に、篩管液中のタンパク質が寄与する報告は今までなかった。イネを加害する他の吸汁性昆虫に対する抵抗性イネ系統でも共通の防御反応があるかどうかや、アブラムシに対する抵抗性トマト等、イネ以外の作物の抵抗性品種についても同様の防御機構が存在するかも同じ手法で解析できるため、関連する分野の研究にも波及効果があると期待される。