Jim Starr

Professional Summary

Nematology Research Program

The primary emphasis of the program is the identification, characterization, and deployment of resistance to nematodes in important crop species. Major pathogens/crop combinations are root-knot nematodes attacking peanut, and root-knot and reniform nematodes attacking cotton. Minor pathogen/crop activities include root-knot nematodes on pecan and forage legumes. Additionally, I am interested in determining the relationship between the polyploid nature of nematode-induced nurse cells (giant cells) and nematode development, especially since recent evidence suggests that as much as two thirds of the nearly 100-fold increase in gene copy number per giant cell is not required for normal development of the parasite.

Peanut

1.Introgression of resistance into a wider array of cultivars, including those with resistance TSWV and Sclerotina blight

2.Conversion of RFLP markers linked to the resistance loci to more efficient PCR-based markers

3.Characterization of a second, recessively inherited gene for resistance, and introgression of this gene into advanced generation peanut breeding lines

Cotton

1.Identify molecular markers linked to loci for resistance root-knot nematodes using RFLP and SSR.

2.Characterize inheritance of resistance in several upland cotton accessions and determine the number of unique genes for resistance that may exist

3.Introgress resistance to reniform nematode from G. barbadense into upland cotton (G. hirsutum) using a backcross breeding program and a pedigree breeding program

Gene copy number in giant cells and nematode development

1.Development of Laser-Microcapture protocols for specific sampling giant cell mRNA, thus allowing quantitative comparison of gene expression at different stages of giant cell development and relative to non-infect host cells.