Call Topic D : Ambrosia artemisiifolia
A call text for this topic is provided below. Please see the Applicants Guide for national eligibility, available national funding, and application processes
Call topic title
Optimising control of Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Background
The ongoing spread of Ambrosia artemisiifolia in Europe is threatening to increase its impacts on plant health and on human health, which together cost in the range of hundreds of millions of EURO. Some countries have already taken steps against this spread, others are about to follow. The European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) is supporting countries by also preparing recommendations on how to control this plant. Whereas a lot of information on control of A. artemisiifolia is available, there are still specific knowledge gaps especially concerning mechanical and chemical control and the suppression of seeds.
Research need
The research needed concerns specifically:
- the reaction of plants to mechanical damage (as by, e.g., mowing) in various developmental stages,
- the best choice of herbicides, their application timing and mode,
- the best way to suppress germination of Ambrosia seeds from the seed bank.
- herbicidal effects on the viability of seeds
- how to best disrupt the life cycle in one action
- combination of mechanical and chemical methods for control along road sides
- questions about composting of A. artemisiifolia
The project will produce a set of guidelines for the control of A. artemisiifolia based on a detailed scientific understanding of the plant's reaction to specific management practice.
Expected benefits
Farmers, road services, gardeners (private and professional ones) and the general public in European countries in which A. artemisiifolia is already present and widespread, as well as in those countries where the species is beginning to invade and spread, will benefit from more efficient control mechanisms of A. artemisiifolia. The benefit to farmers will consist of lower weed impacts of A. artemisiifolia in agricultural fields, the general public will experience less health impacts, when a national program of Ambrosia control can be based on a sound set of guidelines.
Organisations interested in participating in a research consortium
Name:
Elvira Schecklies
Organisation:
pab productions
Expertise: COMPANY PROFILE
Pab productions produces polyclonal antibodies in rabbits and chicken. Using the yielded sera and yolks – mainly affinity purified - immunological test systems, e.g. ELISA, are developed according to the requirements of market and customers.
Addtionally pab productions has developed an innovative product line based on renewable resources (commercially available):
- microtiterplates from polylactic acid (PLA) with advantages compared to polystyrene:
- low backgrond and variation
- standard curve range: 5ng- 10 µg
- optimized surface even for hydrophilic molecules
- innovative immunostick-cuvette-system for ELISA (adhesive and covalent binding) from polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)
- adjuvant for immunstimulation from PHB
- no necrosis
- direct binding to the antigen
Contact: pab productions
Elvira Schecklies
Bgm.Herzog Str. 5;
D – 85241 Hebertshausen
Phone: +49 (0) 8131-20709
Fax: +49 (0) 8131-20709
e-mail: pab.productions@web.de
www site: www.pabproductions.de
Advantages of pab-immunosticks compared to microplate ELISA:
- in contrary to microtiter plates, no sample extraction is necessary
- no need or waste of organic solvents
- users with only spectral photometers or even no equipment can carry out the tests
- locally tests by just using precipitation conjugates
- untrained stuff or amateurs can use the stick system without problems
- ideal for users with low turnover of samples
The main advantage is, that you there is no need to seperate the analyte from the rest of the sample. Just pulps – only if the sample is dry – are made and the stick can directly be transferred. This is especially useful, when the analyt can not be seperated, e.g. because of adhesivity to other components of the sample.
The coated antibodies on the surface of the stick will catch the antigen selectively. The further ELISA can be carried out as usual.
For example, the the case of
- antibiotics in milk, eggs or baby food
- mycotoxins in cereals
- pesticides
- detection of bacteria, funghi and parasites in stool, food, water,
the stick can be directly transferred in the sample. After just washing with water, the bound analyte can be detected using e.g. an enzym-antibody-conjugate. Final step is the substrate reaction.
A test like this can be distributed by pharmacies, so eyeryone can control a possible contamination at home.
Tests, locally carried out in the environment, can quickly detect contaminated areas or water.
This wide range of controls has an additional advantage for your tests for laboratory use: positive samples should be checked using your microtiterplate ELISA to control the result.