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Abstract :

Phytophthora, the “plant destroyers” genus, comprises some of the most detrimental oomycete pathogens of crops and wild plants. Late blight, a potato disease caused by P. infestans, was responsible for the last famine in Europe. The sudden oak and larch death pathogen P. ramorum devastates tree plantations across Europe and the USA. Severe yield loss in cacao plantations is attributed to P. megakarya and P. palmivora. Yet, after decades of studying Phytophthora molecular weaponry, durable protection for crops and perennials is still in its infancy. Using the ‘naifu’ infection and oomycete proteins with unique sets of functional domains as examples, I will discuss how oomycete infection logistics is emerging as a promising complement to the strategies currently explored by plant pathologists and breeders, and how it connects basic research questions, product development, and field applications.