THE RESULTS OF THE LATEST STUDIES WILL BE PRESENTED TO SEARCH FOR ALTERNATIVES TO ITS CONTROL.

The GAP-M Consortium (Genomics in Agricultural Pest Management) will celebrate in Ibiza, of the 7 to the 9 October this year, the V Congress on the genome of the red spider, led by Dr. Grbic, researcher at the University of Western Ontario (Canada) and linked to the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences (ICVV-CSIC, University of La Rioja).

In addition, researchers from Canada participate, United States and Europe (Spain: Polytechnic University of Madrid; CIB-CSIC, ICVV-CSIC; France: INRA; Belgium: University of Ghent).

The Congress will present the latest results that have been generated in the study of plant-red spider interaction, in order to seek alternatives to the control of chemical pesticides.

One of the objectives of the Congress is to exchange ideas and initiate collaborations with the business sector aimed at solving problems, given the wide expansion of these pests in crops of agronomic interest, in addition to establishing the bases for the application of European and international projects.

The red spider sequence (Tetranychus urticae) It is a polyphagous pathogen that can feed on more than 1.000 different species of plants, among which are some 150 cultivated species of great economic importance such as tomato, peppers, cucumber, strawberry, the Apple tree, the pear tree, corn or soy, causing huge economic losses.

within the consortium, the causes of the polyphagous nature of this species have been discovered. The red spider is capable of multiplying and differentiating new genes responsible for the detoxification of plant toxins and, even more amazing, this species integrates in its genome some genes responsible for detoxification processes from bacteria, fungi or even plants, that allow it to combat the defense responses of plants.

Genes have also been found that give this mite specific characteristics of great value, such as its silk, and others in the process of being patented.

This work, pioneer in genomic sequencing, opens up new possibilities for the development of sustainable agriculture, allowing the development of new pest control strategies that avoid the use of conventional pesticides, and that include both genetic improvement for resistance to the red spider mite and biotechnological approaches for the control of this pest.

Those interested in participating in the Congress and/or in the Science-Business Session of the 9 October, can go to: gruizgauna@invegen.org