D3046: Plant-fungal interactions of two recombinant inbred lines in Sorghum bicolor on the sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Plant growth and development are aided by beneficial plant–microbe interactions in the rhizosphere. A prominent category of these microorganisms is arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF). AMF has been discovered to promote plant fitness through mycorrhizal symbiosis. Despite extensive study and documentation within a variety of systems, only a few of these studies have examined the effects of AMF on other cascading traits in sorghum of which include plant insect interactions. To examine this, two of ten inbred lines have been chosen for their variation in phenotypic attributes with one displaying a resistant trait to herbivory with the other displaying susceptibility. This study aims to examine a sorghum sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari, system. Extensive genetic variation in sorghum offers unique opportunities to explore, especially in systems involving different classes of herbivores. As of recent, a nested association mapping panel (NAM) with 10 recombinants inbred line populations have been developed in sorghum for the dissection and analyzation of their varying traits. Although the NAM population has been phenotype to dissect several sorghum adaptive traits these lines have not been used to dissect the genetic variation in resistance to insect pests. It is hypothesized that AMF would enhance Plant growth as well as influence resistance in both lines due to the possible alteration within plant defense pathways within these two inbred lines. Results will be discussed.