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Dr. Monika Messmer
FiBL Research Institute of Organic Agriculture

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0 Plant Breeding
0 Resistance
0 organic agriculture
0 PEA
0 cotton breeding

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Journal article
Published: 28 July 2021 in Plants
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White lupin (Lupinus albus) represents an important legume crop in Europe and other parts of the world due to its high protein content and potential for low-input agriculture. However, most cultivars are susceptible to anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum lupini, a seed- and air-borne fungal pathogen that causes severe yield losses. The aim of this work was to develop a C. lupini-specific quantitative real-time TaqMan PCR assay that allows for quick and reliable detection and quantification of the pathogen in infected seed and plant material. Quantification of C. lupini DNA in dry seeds allowed us to distinguish infected and certified (non-infected) seed batches with DNA loads corresponding to the disease score index and yield of the mother plants. Additionally, C. lupini DNA could be detected in infected lupin shoots and close to the infection site, thereby allowing us to study the disease cycle of this hemibiotrophic pathogen. This qPCR assay provides a useful diagnostic tool to determine anthracnose infection levels of white lupin seeds and will facilitate the use of seed health assessments as a strategy to reduce the primary infection source and spread of this disease.

ACS Style

Tim Kamber; Nachelli Malpica-López; Monika Messmer; Thomas Oberhänsli; Christine Arncken; Joris Alkemade; Pierre Hohmann. A qPCR Assay for the Fast Detection and Quantification of Colletotrichum lupini. Plants 2021, 10, 1548 .

AMA Style

Tim Kamber, Nachelli Malpica-López, Monika Messmer, Thomas Oberhänsli, Christine Arncken, Joris Alkemade, Pierre Hohmann. A qPCR Assay for the Fast Detection and Quantification of Colletotrichum lupini. Plants. 2021; 10 (8):1548.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tim Kamber; Nachelli Malpica-López; Monika Messmer; Thomas Oberhänsli; Christine Arncken; Joris Alkemade; Pierre Hohmann. 2021. "A qPCR Assay for the Fast Detection and Quantification of Colletotrichum lupini." Plants 10, no. 8: 1548.

Research article
Published: 18 December 2020 in Plant Disease
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The seed- and air-borne pathogen Colletotrichum lupini, the causal agent of lupin anthracnose, is the most important disease in white lupin (Lupinus albus) worldwide and can cause total yield loss. The aims of this study were to establish a reliable high-throughput phenotyping tool to identify anthracnose resistance in white lupin germplasm and to evaluate a genomic prediction model, accounting previously reported resistance QTLs, on a set of independent lupin genotypes. Phenotyping under controlled conditions, performing stem inoculation on seedlings, showed to be applicable for high-throughput and its disease score strongly correlated with field plot disease assessments (r = 0.95, p<0.0001) and yield (r = -0.64, p=0.035). Traditional 1-row field disease phenotyping showed no significant correlation with field plot disease assessments (r = 0.31, p=0.34) and yield (r = -0.45, p=0.17). Genomically-predicted resistance values showed no correlation with values observed under controlled or field conditions, and the parental lines of the RIL population used for constructing the prediction model exhibited a resistance pattern opposite to that displayed in the original (Australian) environment used for model construction. Differing environmental conditions, inoculation procedures or population structure may account for this result. Phenotyping a diverse set of 40 white lupin accessions under controlled conditions revealed eight accessions with improved resistance to anthracnose. The standardized area under the disease progress curves (sAUDPC) ranged from 2.1 to 2.8 compared to the susceptible reference accession with a sAUDPC of 3.85. These accessions can be incorporated into white lupin breeding programs. In conclusion, our data supports stem inoculation-based disease phenotyping under controlled conditions as a time-effective approach to identify field-relevant resistance which can now be applied to further identify sources of resistance and their underlying genetics.

ACS Style

Joris Alkemade; Monika Messmer; Christine Arncken; Agata Leska; Paolo Annicchiarico; Nelson Nazzicari; Michal Książkiewicz; Ralf Thomas Voegele; Maria Finckh; Pierre Hohmann. A high-throughput phenotyping tool to identify field-relevant anthracnose resistance in white lupin. Plant Disease 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Joris Alkemade, Monika Messmer, Christine Arncken, Agata Leska, Paolo Annicchiarico, Nelson Nazzicari, Michal Książkiewicz, Ralf Thomas Voegele, Maria Finckh, Pierre Hohmann. A high-throughput phenotyping tool to identify field-relevant anthracnose resistance in white lupin. Plant Disease. 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Joris Alkemade; Monika Messmer; Christine Arncken; Agata Leska; Paolo Annicchiarico; Nelson Nazzicari; Michal Książkiewicz; Ralf Thomas Voegele; Maria Finckh; Pierre Hohmann. 2020. "A high-throughput phenotyping tool to identify field-relevant anthracnose resistance in white lupin." Plant Disease , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 15 October 2020 in Sustainability
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The new European Organic Regulation 2018/848 has announced the phasing out of derogations for the use of untreated non-organic seed by 2036. However, the use of organic seed by organic farmers is currently limited. This paper aims to identify the factors affecting the use of organic seed. It is based on data collected from 749 organic farmers in 20 European countries, by conducting an online survey and using a network sampling. Results of the descriptive statistics and linear mixed models indicate that: (1) the situation of organic seed use is not consistent across geographical regions and crop sectors; (2) the use of organic seed is higher on farms selling directly to consumers than on those selling to supermarkets; (3) larger and more recently converted farms use less organic seed than established organic farms. In the second part of the paper, we analyse farmers’ attitudes towards organic seed use. The structural equation model (SEM) suggests that the highest contribution to explaining intention to use organic seed comes from social norms, i.e., farmers’ perception of societal expectations, particularly from the consumer and the organic certifier. Such expectations, if communicated in the public and political discourse, could stimulate the use of organic seed.

ACS Style

Stefano Orsini; Ambrogio Costanzo; Francesco Solfanelli; Raffaele Zanoli; Susanne Padel; Monika M. Messmer; Eva Winter; Freya Schaefer. Factors Affecting the Use of Organic Seed by Organic Farmers in Europe. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8540 .

AMA Style

Stefano Orsini, Ambrogio Costanzo, Francesco Solfanelli, Raffaele Zanoli, Susanne Padel, Monika M. Messmer, Eva Winter, Freya Schaefer. Factors Affecting the Use of Organic Seed by Organic Farmers in Europe. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (20):8540.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Stefano Orsini; Ambrogio Costanzo; Francesco Solfanelli; Raffaele Zanoli; Susanne Padel; Monika M. Messmer; Eva Winter; Freya Schaefer. 2020. "Factors Affecting the Use of Organic Seed by Organic Farmers in Europe." Sustainability 12, no. 20: 8540.

Journal article
Published: 22 May 2020 in Sustainability
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Cotton is essentially a smallholder crop across tropical countries. Being a major cash crop, it plays a decisive role in the livelihoods of cotton-producing farmers. Both conventional and organic production systems offer alternative yet interesting propositions to cotton farmers. This study was conducted in Nimar valley, a prominent cotton-producing region of central India, with the aim of categorically evaluating the contribution of management and fixed factors to productivity on conventional and organic cotton farms. A study framework was developed considering the fixed factors, which cannot be altered within reasonable limits of time, capacity and resources, e.g., landholding or years of age and/or practice; and management factors, which can be altered/influenced within a reasonable time by training, practice and implementation. Using this framework, a structured survey of conventional and organic farms operating under comparable circumstances was conducted. Landholding and soil types were significant contributors/predictors of yield on organic farms. In contrast, landholding was not the main factor related to yields on conventional farms, which produced the highest yields when led by farmers with more than five years of formal education and living in a joint family. Nitrogen application, the source of irrigation (related to timely and adequate supply), crop rotation and variables related to adequate plant population (seed source, germination rate and plant thinning) were the main management factors limiting cotton yields among conventional and organic farms. Both organic and conventional farms in the Nimar valley exhibited a similar pattern of variation in cotton yields and technical efficiency. This study highlights the enormous scope for improving cotton productivity in the region by improving technical efficiency, strengthening extension services and making appropriate policy interventions.

ACS Style

Amritbir Riar; Lokendra S. Mandloi; Ramadas Sendhil; Randhir S. Poswal; Monika M. Messmer; Gurbir S. Bhullar. Technical Efficiencies and Yield Variability Are Comparable Across Organic and Conventional Farms. Sustainability 2020, 12, 4271 .

AMA Style

Amritbir Riar, Lokendra S. Mandloi, Ramadas Sendhil, Randhir S. Poswal, Monika M. Messmer, Gurbir S. Bhullar. Technical Efficiencies and Yield Variability Are Comparable Across Organic and Conventional Farms. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (10):4271.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amritbir Riar; Lokendra S. Mandloi; Ramadas Sendhil; Randhir S. Poswal; Monika M. Messmer; Gurbir S. Bhullar. 2020. "Technical Efficiencies and Yield Variability Are Comparable Across Organic and Conventional Farms." Sustainability 12, no. 10: 4271.

Journal article
Published: 12 November 2019 in Sustainability
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Resistance against cotton bollworm is one of the main arguments for the use of genetically modified (GM) Bt cotton around the globe. The use of GM is prohibited in organic systems and thus the remunerative value of organic cotton cultivation depends on effective bollworm control. In this study, we investigated the extent of bollworm and sucking pest damage in 68 different hybrid and varietal lines of Gossypium hirsutum and varietal lines of G. arboreum at two different locations with contrasting soil fertility and water dynamics. The damage potential of bollworms was assessed from open capsules at two time points. Sucking pests were assessed at three time points using a scoring method. G. arboreum varietal lines and G. hirsutum hybrids were on average significantly more tolerant than G. hirsutum varietal lines to bollworm under fertile and irrigated situations. For sucking pests, the G. arboreum varietal lines were clearly more tolerant than G. hirsutum hybrids and varietal lines. Since, recently, pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) became resistant against Bt cotton and pressure of sucking pests severely increased, screening of genetic resources and systems-based cotton breeding for bollworm and sucking pest tolerance will improve sustainability of organic and conventional cotton production.

ACS Style

Seraina Vonzun; Monika M. Messmer; Thomas Boller; Yogendra Shrivas; Shreekant S. Patil; Amritbir Riar. Extent of Bollworm and Sucking Pest Damage on Modern and Traditional Cotton Species and Potential for Breeding in Organic Cotton. Sustainability 2019, 11, 6353 .

AMA Style

Seraina Vonzun, Monika M. Messmer, Thomas Boller, Yogendra Shrivas, Shreekant S. Patil, Amritbir Riar. Extent of Bollworm and Sucking Pest Damage on Modern and Traditional Cotton Species and Potential for Breeding in Organic Cotton. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (22):6353.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Seraina Vonzun; Monika M. Messmer; Thomas Boller; Yogendra Shrivas; Shreekant S. Patil; Amritbir Riar. 2019. "Extent of Bollworm and Sucking Pest Damage on Modern and Traditional Cotton Species and Potential for Breeding in Organic Cotton." Sustainability 11, no. 22: 6353.

Review
Published: 03 July 2018 in Plant, Cell & Environment
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Root and foot diseases severely impede grain legume cultivation worldwide. Breeding lines with resistance against individual pathogens exist, but these resistances are often overcome by the interaction of multiple pathogens in field situations. Novel tools allow to decipher plant-microbiome interactions in unprecedented detail and provide insights into resistance mechanisms that consider both simultaneous attacks of various pathogens and the interplay with beneficial microbes. Although it has become clear that plant-associated microbes play a key role in plant health, a systematic picture of how and to what extend plants can shape their own detrimental or beneficial microbiome remains to be drawn. There is increasing evidence for the existence of genetic variation in the regulation of plant-microbe interactions that can be exploited by plant breeders. We propose to consider the entire plant holobiont in resistance breeding strategies in order to unravel hidden parts of complex defence mechanisms. This review summarises (i) the current knowledge of resistance against soil-borne pathogens in grain legumes, (ii) evidence for genetic variation for rhizosphere-related traits, (iii) the role of root exudation in microbe-mediated disease resistance and elaborates (iv) how these traits can be incorporated in resistance breeding programmes.

ACS Style

Lukas Wille; Monika M. Messmer; Bruno Studer; Pierre Hohmann. Insights to plant-microbe interactions provide opportunities to improve resistance breeding against root diseases in grain legumes. Plant, Cell & Environment 2018, 42, 20 -40.

AMA Style

Lukas Wille, Monika M. Messmer, Bruno Studer, Pierre Hohmann. Insights to plant-microbe interactions provide opportunities to improve resistance breeding against root diseases in grain legumes. Plant, Cell & Environment. 2018; 42 (1):20-40.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lukas Wille; Monika M. Messmer; Bruno Studer; Pierre Hohmann. 2018. "Insights to plant-microbe interactions provide opportunities to improve resistance breeding against root diseases in grain legumes." Plant, Cell & Environment 42, no. 1: 20-40.

Review
Published: 23 December 2016 in Sustainability
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In this paper, we describe the development of a set of guiding principles for the evaluation of breeding techniques by the organic sector over time. The worldwide standards of organic agriculture (OA) do not allow genetic engineering (GE) or any products derived from genetic engineering. The standards in OA are an expression of the underlying principles of health, ecology, fairness and care. The derived norms are process and not product oriented. As breeding is considered part of the process in agriculture, GE is not a neutral tool for the organic sector. The incompatibility between OA and GE is analyzed, including the “novel breeding techniques”. Instead, alternative breeding approaches are pursued based on the norms and values of organic agriculture not only on the technical level but also on the social and organizational level by including other value chain players and consumers. The status and future perspectives of the alternative directions for organic breeding are described and discussed.

ACS Style

Edwin Nuijten; Monika M. Messmer; Edith T. Lammerts Van Bueren. Concepts and Strategies of Organic Plant Breeding in Light of Novel Breeding Techniques. Sustainability 2016, 9, 18 .

AMA Style

Edwin Nuijten, Monika M. Messmer, Edith T. Lammerts Van Bueren. Concepts and Strategies of Organic Plant Breeding in Light of Novel Breeding Techniques. Sustainability. 2016; 9 (1):18.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Edwin Nuijten; Monika M. Messmer; Edith T. Lammerts Van Bueren. 2016. "Concepts and Strategies of Organic Plant Breeding in Light of Novel Breeding Techniques." Sustainability 9, no. 1: 18.