Bladluizen vormen een groot probleem in de paprikateelt, terwijl het gebruik van pesticiden steeds meer wordt beperkt. Dit project ontwikkelt duurzame resistentie door genen in Capsicum annuum te identificeren die overleving en reproductie van bladluizen verminderen. We brengen natuurlijke resistentie en vatbaarheidsgenen in kaart en testen deze tegen meerdere bladluissoorten. Zo ondersteunen we de veredeling van duurzame, luisresistente paprika’s.

The objective of this project is therefore to contribute
to developing C. annuum plants with increased, broad-spectrum aphid resistance, by identifying, genetically mapping, and
studying mechanisms of resistances in C. annuum that are effective against two or more aphid species.

Aphids infestations are a major problem in pepper (Capsicum annuum) cultivation. The progressive ban of widely used
insecticides, along with environmental and societal issues associated with their use, poses the need for a shift towards more sustainable pest control. Biological control of aphids is already employed in greenhouses, but due to the rapid population growth of aphids, it has to be combined with pesticides when infestations get too large. Using plants with natural resistance to aphids could be an important addition, as on these plants, survival and reproduction of aphids is reduced, and population development is repressed.

The project will result in several tools that will benefit Capsicum breeders and eventually growers : 1) Identified sources of
resistance to multiple aphid species and biotypes, 2) Genomic regions and markers linked to resistance facilitating their
introgression into cultivars, 3) Validated S genes and knowledge on their potential breeding value and potential pleiotropic
effects, 4) Knowledge on resistance mechanisms to aphids, 4) Pre-breeding materials with enhanced resistances to aphids.