Group Lisbeth Jonsson

Plant communication and defence against alphids

Plants have evolved a variety of defence systems, which may either be constitutive or inducible, either acting against a number of invaders or specific in their action. Our research concentrates on volatile plant - plant communication and plant -insect interactions between barley and a phloem-feeder, the bird-cherry oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi). These studies are part of the research program: PlantComMistra (www.plantcommistra.com), for which the Department of Botany is host and professor Lisbeth Jonsson the program manager. Comparative studies involving other aphid species as well as research aimed at strengthening the ability of plants to withstand herbivores are carried out in international collaboration. The research generates new knowledge useful for breeding strategies and for understanding endogenous and environmental control of life processes in plants.

Collaborators: docent I. Åhman, SLU Alnarp, docent R. Glinwood, docent V. Ninkovic, SLU and Prof. emeritus J. Pettersson, SLU Uppsala and Prof. T. Näsholm, SLu Umeå. Professor T. Botha, Rhodes University, Grahamstown. South Africa and Professor A. Hamada, Assiut University, Egypt.

Plant sterol biosynthesis

Potato plants contains toxic steroid glycoalkaloids, commonly known as “solanine”. The glycoalkaloids are glycosylated steroid compounds, synthesized from sterols. The biosynthesis of glycoalkaloids is regulated at the level of the sterol precursors. Tobacco and potato plants have been transformed with genes for sterol methyltransferases, which are key enzymes in the sterol pathway. The transgenic plants have an altered sterol profile and in potato, lower amounts of glycoalkaloids. The research is carried out at SLU, Uppsala.

Collaborator: Professor P. Dutta, and docent F. Sitbon, SLU, Uppsala.

Read more about Group Lisbeth Jonsson at homedepartment website