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Disease Resistance
Plants, like animals, are susceptible to a wide range of infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Plants and animals have evolved diverse responses to these pathogens, but disease-causing agents are also constantly evolving to overcome these defenses. Some diseases are no more than yearly nuisances, but others, such as the Irish potato blight and, more recently, the African Cassava mosaic virus outbreak, can be devastating. Plant disease resistance researchers at the Danforth Center seek to understand the nature and consequence of the pathological interactions of viruses and fungi with model and agriculturally-relevant plants. Center researchers are actively engaged in applying this knowledge to generate improved crops that are capable of tolerating infection by these pathogens and thereby protecting their productivity in the field. Current research at the Center involves engineering resistance to economically important viral pathogens in Cassava and rice and the development of improved varieties of maize and wheat that are capable of tolerating infection by mycotoxin-producing fungi.
Labs conducting research in this area include:
Roger Beachy Lab Technologies available for license: |
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