Projects
Impact of herbicide use on the metabolism of Brassica napus L. as feed and energy crop, in function of its quality and potential use for phytoremediation Hasselt University
Integrated control of aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae, Myzus persicae) and cabbage whitefly (Aleyrodes proletella) in cabbage crops HOGENT
Phytophthora brassicae and related species in the winter crop field full of vegetables: importance, phylogeny, host adaptation and epidemiology Ghent University
Cell-wall degrading enzyme inhibition and health beneficial effects of phenolic compounds by solid-state fermentation from brassica waste Ghent University
This project will investigate the bioactivities of phenolic
compounds from brassica waste after solid-state fermentation. It aims to search the
binding mechanisms of flavonoids to the cell-wall degrading enzymes by structureactivity
relationship (QSAR) study and investigate their anti-obesity and antihypertension
activities in vivo and in vitro.
Studying Brassica napus pathways involved in combined stress responses and their impact on yield traits by profiling plant-to-plant variations in a natural field setting Ghent University
Due to a growing world population and climate change, we will increasingly rely on agricultural crops that are engineered to have a high yield and resistance to environmental stresses. We propose a new experimental paradigm to study (a)biotic stress responses in plants and their impact on yield traits under field conditions, involving -omics profiling and phenotyping of individual wild-type plants.
The potato cyst nematode GLOBODERA Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
This research focuses on quarantaine nematodes Globodera rostochiensis and Globodera pallida, the potato cyst nematode. The aim is to use the necessary theoretical and applied knowledge about these nematodes to achieve a targeted management of infestation foci, as well as reduced introduction and spread. A first condition (and research purpose) is the development of efficient ...
Integrated control of aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae, Myzus persicae) and cabbage whitefly (Aleyrodes proletella) in Brassicas. The Research Station for Vegetable Production
Downstream targets of the metabolic stress sensor SnRK1 - One kinase to rule them all KU Leuven
The evolutionarily conserved SnRK1 (SNF1-related kinase 1) protein kinase (the ortholog of yeast SNF1 and mammalian AMPK) is a major metabolic sensor, allowing acclimatization and energy homeostasis upon changes in energy availability, thereby ensuring plant survival. SnRK1 is activated by low energy stress and repressed by high photosynthetic sugar levels, with the allosteric inhibitor trehalose-6-P acting as a proxy for sucrose supply. To ...
Management of the bacterial pathogens Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris and Pseudomonas syringae pv. porri in cabbage and leek production using novel bacteriophages KU Leuven
Bacterial plant diseases are an important cause of yield loss in agriculture since no disease control agents are currently available to combat them. In cruciferous vegetables belonging to the species Brassica oleraceae (e.g. cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts) and leek, the most important bacterial diseases are black rot of cabbage, caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris and bacterial blight of leek, ...