B. A. McDonald

Molecular epidemiology of Cercospora leaf spot on resistant and susceptible sugar beet hybrids

The paper studies how resistant and susceptible sugar beet hybrids affect the epidemiology of Cercospora leaf spot using molecular methods.

Zymoseptoria tritici suppresses the host immune response and facilitates the success of avirulent strains in mixed infections

The paper shows that virulent Zymoseptoria tritici strains suppress wheat immunity, enabling avirulent strains to colonize and reproduce in mixed infections.

How large and diverse are field populations of fungal plant pathogens? The case of Zymoseptoria tritici

The paper estimates genetic diversity and spore production in Zymoseptoria tritici populations, finding high numbers of genotypes and spores per hectare, suggesting adaptive mutations arise from existing variation.

Mapping the adaptive landscape of a major agricultural pathogen reveals evolutionary constraints across heterogeneous environments

The paper maps the adaptive landscape of Zymoseptoria tritici, showing polygenic traits, pleiotropy, and genetic constraints affecting pathogen adaptation across environments.

A polyetic modelling framework for plant disease emergence

This paper develops a polyetic model to simulate disease emergence in plants, showing that stochasticity and survival between seasons are critical for pathogen invasion.

Maintenance of variation in virulence and reproduction in populations of an agricultural plant pathogen

The paper investigates the maintenance of genetic variation in virulence and reproduction in Zymoseptoria tritici by analyzing host-pathogen interactions across multiple populations.

SnToxA, SnTox1 and SnTox3 originated in Parastagonospora nodorum in the Fertile Crescent

The study identifies the Fertile Crescent as the origin of Parastagonospora nodorum, showing high genetic diversity and effector gene diversity in Iranian isolates.

A tradeoff between tolerance and resistance to a major fungal pathogen in elite wheat cultivars

The paper investigates tolerance and resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici in wheat, finding a tradeoff between the two strategies due to host resource limitations.

Coping with stress: morphological changes in response to environmental stimuli in a fungal plant pathogen

The paper studies how the fungal plant pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici responds to environmental stresses by changing its morphology, identifying new morphotypes and their adaptive significance.

A fungal avirulence factor encoded in a highly plastic genomic region triggers partial resistance to septoria tritici blotch

The paper identifies Avr3D1, a fungal avirulence factor in Zymoseptoria tritici, which triggers partial resistance in wheat cultivars with Stb7, and shows its evolutionary dynamics and polymorphism.

Meiosis leads to pervasive segregation distortion and copy-number variation in accessory chromosomes of the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici

The paper analyzes chromosomal inheritance in Zymoseptoria tritici, finding segregation distortion and copy-number variation in accessory chromosomes.

Ranking quantitative resistance to Septoria tritici blotch in elite wheat cultivars using automated image analysis

This study ranks wheat cultivars for resistance to Septoria tritici blotch using automated image analysis, finding that resistance affecting host damage and pathogen reproduction are distinct traits.