Crop Pathogens 'Remarkably Adaptable'

Jun 12, 2020

Pathogens that attack agricultural crops show remarkable adaptability to new climates and new plant hosts, new research shows.

Researchers at the Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter studied the temperature preferences and host plant diversity of hundreds of fungi and oomycetes that attack our crops.

The researchers found that plant pathogens can specialise on particular temperatures or host plants, or have wide temperature or host ranges.

Lead author Professor Dan Bebber, a member of Exeter's Global Systems Institute, said: "Traditionally, scientists have considered species to be specialists or generalists.

"Generalists are sometimes called 'Jack of all trades, master of none'. Our analyses show that many plant pathogens are 'Jack of some trades, master of others'."

Tom Chaloner, an SWBIO DTP PhD student, said: "We have collated the largest dataset on plant pathogen temperature responses, and made this available for the scientific community.

"Our data allow us to test some of the most fundamental questions in ecology and evolution.

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Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

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