Plant Diseases
At Warwick Crop Centre, School of Life Sciences, we carry out research on a wide variety of plant diseases with a focus on protected and outdoor vegetable crops. We have extensive expertise in different aspects of plant pathology including pathogen biology, genetics and epidemiology and use our research to develop new and sustainable disease management strategies. These include crop genetic improvement, disease forecasting and various biological control approaches. We employ a wide range of molecular and conventional techniques such as next generation sequencing, DNA-based diagnostics and modelling which is complemented with extensive controlled environment, glasshouse and field facilities including dedicated quarantine areas for soilborne diseases.
The scope of our work covers the full range from fundamental to applied studies, with funding from research councils (UKRI, BBSRC, NERC), government (Defra), Innovate UK and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). We work closely with industry including many growers, breeding and crop protection companies and interact and collaborate with the wider crop and plant research community both nationally and internationally. Please contact john dot clarkson at warwick dot ac dot uk for further information.
Some of the diseases we work on
| Disease type | Common name | Pathogen | Hosts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fungal | Fusarium wilt, basal, root rot | Fusarium oxysporum | onion, lettuce, pea, narcissus and many others |
| White rot | Sclerotium cepivorum | onion, garlic | |
| White mould | Sclerotinia sclerotiorum | brassicas, carrot, lettuce, beans and many others | |
| Root canker | Itersonilia pastinacae, Mycocentrospora destructans | parsnip | |
| Oomycete | Cavity spot | Pythium violae | carrot |
| Downy mildew | Hyaloperonospora brassicae | brassicas | |
| Peronospora destructor | onion | ||
| Peronospora viciae | pea | ||
| White rust | Albugo candida | brassicas | |
| Bacterial | Halo blight | Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola | Phaseolus bean |
| Black rot | Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris | brassicas, other crucifers | |
| Xanthomonas nasturtii | watercress | ||
| Leaf spot | Xanthomonas campestris pv. raphani | brassicas, other crucifers, tomato | |
| Viral | Mosaic | Turnip mosaic virus | brassicas |
| Yellows | Turnip Yellows virus | brassicas | |
| Watercress yellow spot virus | watercress | ||
| Other | Clubroot | Plasmodiophora brassicae | brassicas |
Plant Pathology related researchers at the School of Life Sciences:
- Dr John Clarkson (soilborne diseases including Fusarium, Sclerotinia and Pythium)
- Dr Miriam Gifford (Ralstonia solanacearum on roots of model legumes)
- Professor Murray Grant (plant-bacteria interactions)
- Professor Eric Holub (oomycetes, bacteria and others)
- Dr Vardis Ntoukakis (plant-pathogen interactions)
- Professor John Walsh (viral diseases including Turnip mosaic virus, Turnip yellow virus and others)
- Dr Shannon Greer (viral diseases, bacterial diseases of brassicas)
- Dr Joana Vicente, (visiting Research Fellow; bacterial diseases)