Seminarios IHSM La Mayora - Sota Koeda (Kindai University, Japan)

Title: Identification of begomovirus resistance gene in pepper and the future perspective for resistance breeding Abstract Pepper yellow leaf curl disease caused by begomoviruses seriously affects pepper (Capsicum spp.) production in a number of regions around the world, including Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central and South America. Ty genes of tomato, which confer resistance to the tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), are the only begomovirus resistance genes cloned to date. We have been conducting identification of pepper-infecting begomoviruses in the field in Southeast Asia and constructing a highly efficient agroinoculation method of begomoviruses for resistance evaluation in pepper. In this presentation, I want to focus on the begomovirus resistance gene identified for the first time in pepper (Capsicum annuum) by our research group. The genetic resource and the DNA marker developed in this study will greatly facilitate marker-assisted breeding of begomovirus resistance in peppers. Sota Koeda received his Ph.D. in horticulture science from Kyoto University (2011) in Japan. He then started his career at Kyoto University as an Assistant Professor. In 2015, he joined the Faculty Agriculture of the Kindai University (Nara) in Japan and is currently an Associate Professor at the Laboratory of Horticultural Science. His research group is conducting research related to virus resistance in horticultural crops, characterization of begomovirus and polerovirus, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in pepper fruit. The main focus of his research group is the breeding of begomovirus resistance in Solanaceae and Cucurbit crops. His research group has recently identified the begomovirus resistance gene for the first time in pepper (Capsicum spp.).