Musa-pest interactions: Phenylphenalenones in bananas

This DFG-funded research project aims to investigate the basis of interactions between different banana cultivars from around the world, including some plants from Oman, and their globally dreaded pests such as the banana weevil, root nematodes, and the fungus-borne Black Sigatoka disease. In a first step, the phytochemical profiles of healthy and infested banana plants will be compared with respect to plant secondary compounds of the phenylphenalenone type.

Subsequent experiments will focus on the influence of different nutrients (especially N, K and P) on Musa-pest interactions. Studies on the biosynthesis of the plant secondary metabolites of phenylphenalenones, their possible interference with the activities of the various pathogens and their catabolic handling of these plant secondary metabolites, to be classified as phytoalexins, complete the topics to be addressed by this project. A variety of modern analytical techniques are used to successfully complete the tasks set.