Every year, over $100 Bn agricultural damage is caused by crop disease worldwide. At the same time, global food production needs continue to increase dramatically due to the growing population. To meet this demand, new methods to lessen crop losses caused by plant diseases are essential. We recently found that a small signaling molecule secreted by worms could function as an effective “vaccine” for diverse monocot and dicot plants by triggering long-last defense responses. In this seminar, I will present how I use synthetic tools to study the three important aspects of potential biopesticide molecules, namely structure-activity relationship, receptor identification and metabolic pathways. Each aspect will be investigated through the development of a versatile synthetic approach, design of a trifunctional probe and isotope labeled derivatives. These three synthetic tools would provide significant insights on the redesign of the active ingredient and play an important role in the future biopesticide development for crop diseases.

“Vaccine” for plants –a small molecule made by worms

2019 Spring National Meeting

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