Hi Vinitha Puthanveed!

What are you doing in the project?  

I focus on virus yellows disease in sugar beets. DLF Beet seed is the industrial partner for the project. In my first two years, I looked into the diversity of viruses associated with this disease in the regions of Sweden and Denmark. In the third year, I will be looking into the genes involved in the resistance against this disease by RNA sequencing and further try to figure out the mechanisms of resistance in the coming years.

Why is the project important?  

Neonicotinoid chemicals are used for controlling the vectors, e.g. aphids, carrying these viruses. Neonicotinoid chemicals are banned in Europe since 2018 and now we need genetic resistance against these viruses. The most challenging thing would be to find the most relevant candidate genes for resistance because there is nothing known before regarding the resistance against virus yellows. To find the mechanism of resistance would be much more challenging because it’s a complex of viruses causing this disease and not one.

What did you do before you started your PhD?  

I have done my bachelor’s in agriculture from 2012-2016 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural university with National Talent scholarship from Indian council of agricultural research (ICAR). Then did my master’s in Plant Breeding and Genetics at Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands. After I completed my master’s, I worked with a Dutch company named East west seeds International as Pre-breeder for sweet and waxy corn for one year. I was responsible for breeding for marker assisted selection for various traits in the locations of Thailand, Philippines and India. I got the PhD position in Sweden in the year 2020 and I have completed my three years now.

Tell about one of your best moment or experience during your PhD studies thus far!  

For me the best moment so far is that I am able to have good interaction with the industry and have hands-on experience directly working with the R and D department of the company.

The interview was conducted in 2023