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| In this research we focus on the processes that occur during disease development of wheat after infection by Mycosphaerella graminicola. This fungus causes septoria leaf spot disease, the most important wheat disease in Europe.
The microscopic biological processes that are causing this foliar disease are unravelled in this research by crossing the fungus and by ‘harvesting’ ascospores for mapping the genetic properties. In this way we determine which areas on the DNA of the fungus are relevant for plant infection. It also showed that this fungus is very plastic because whole chromosomes can disappear in descendants without having an effect on viability. We also harvest fluids from infected plants to determine which proteins are secreted by pathogen and plant during disease development.
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The total DNA of this fungus has been completely unravelled. This is an important basis for comparative research to determine the diversity within fungal populations in the field. Such data help us to map such populations which supports breeders to develop new disease-resistant cultivars. In our program we also identify new wheat genes that can be used by breeders. Because working with fungus isolates is difficult and time-consuming, we develop markers for important properties in wheat, enabling breeders to rapidly select good plants. | We cooperate with other research groups, including the USDA-ARS at Purdue University, the US Department of Energy-Joint Genome Institute (DOE-JGI). Research into the identification of new resistance genes and the development of molecular markers for these genes is a carried out in collaboration with Bioplante, a research merger of the French wheat breeders Florimond Desprez and Serasem, and various other partners.
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