Work on fungal pathogenesis is concerned with how plant pathogenic fungi cause disease. The main focus is on infection processes and identifying the genes and gene products responsible for pathogenicity. At present most of this work is based at the IACR Long Ashton site. The remaining programmes concern the diagnosis, epidemiology and management of major diseases of temperate cereals and oilseed crops. The oilseeds projects concern epidemiology, forecasting and management of both monocyclic and polycyclic diseases of oilseed rape and linseed.
Results contribute to sustainable arable production and environmental protection.
A common element in the work is the assessment of disease risk, from accurate diagnosis using the latest molecular tools, to predictions of disease progress based on quantitative methods and modelling. There is also a major interest in mechanisms of disease dispersal, including airborne and splashborne inoculum, and transmission by vectors. The projects are multidisciplinary, and often collaborative with Universities, outside agencies such as ADAS, and Industry. Zoosporangium of Polymyxa graminis, the fungus vector of several important cereal viruses. There are strong overseas links, especially in work on tropical viruses and phytoplasmas, and fungal pathogens of oilseed brassicas.