Bremia
Bremia lactucae is one of the most highly specialized oomycete pathogens of plants. It is an obligate biotroph and causes the most important disease of lettuce, one of the top ten most valuable crops in the US. B. lactucae has long been a model for the study of biotrophy and pathogenicity. Reliable information about resistances in relation to the local strains of Bremia is essential for a successful and durable disease control strategy.
Lettuce diseases and disorders
As part of our basic research and plant breeding efforts we have analyzed multiple disease resistance loci and morphological traits of importance for lettuce improvement. We are developing molecular markers tightly linked to these loci as well as identifying candidate genes. These can be used to introduce desirable traits into advanced breeding lines and commercial cultivars.
Genome modification
(under construction)
Downy mildews
(under construction)