Phytopathology, Biological Control

 Research Topics

The research focuses on molecular approaches for understanding and prevention of maize and other plants fungal disease

• Involvement of Magnaporthiopsis maydis in late wilt disease of maize, characterization of the disease cycle and identifying means of control:
  • Integrated chemical treatment against maize late wilt disease.
  • Biological control against M. maydis, the maize Late-wilt disease causal agent.
  • Inducing resistance in maize against M. maydis, the cause of the late wilt disease.

• Fosarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae and other Fosarium spp., the causal agent of onion basal rot - characterization of the disease, development of pathogenesis tests, adaptation of a molecular test to detect the pathogen in the plant tissues, and examination of chemical agents against the disease.

• Develop biological approaches to protect crops from soil diseases. This includes the use of biocontrol agents (fungi and bacteria), strengthening soil mycorrhizal networks (the soil microbiome), manipulating the plants’ natural endophytes (the plant microbiome), and enhancing the plants’ natural defense system.

• Characterization of the disease, development of pathogenesis tests, adaptation of a molecular test to detect the pathogen in the plant tissues, and examination of chemical agents against the disease.

• Develop biological approaches to protect crops from soil diseases. This includes the use of biocontrol agents (fungi and bacteria), strengthening soil mycorrhizal networks (the soil microbiome), manipulating the plants’ natural endophytes (the plant microbiome), and enhancing the plants’ natural defense system.

• Investigate the interactions between phytopathogenic fungi and their combined influence on crop disease burst and severity.