In the battle between diseases and plants, scientists may soon have a more sophisticated weapon: disease resistant seeds.
PMB Professor Brian Staskawicz is part of a team conducting basic research on the genetic gears of plant immune systems, science that has advanced so much that researchers can now:
- build healthier plants to decrease dependence on pesticides
- decrease water use
- help agriculture in developing countries
In a paper published in this week's edition of the Journal Science, Staskawicz and other members of his team synthesized two decades of research on plant immune systems, looking at "where technology has been applied, and what the future can be," Staskawicz said.
Some of Staskawicz’s research in this field, funded by the National Science Foundation, focuses on cassava, a staple crop in many of the world's developing countries, where disease can destroy much of the crop late in its evolution. The consequences are costly.
To combat disease, farmers have traditionally relied upon careful, slow breeding, and pesticides. Creating disease-resistant seeds, however, requires little or no pesticide use and familiar agricultural techniques. It's a simple and effective way to help farmers in developing countries.
Read more about the research at the following links:
- Press release from the National Science Foundation
- Research Paper and Abstract at sciencemag.org
- Science -- Special Issue on Smarter Pest Control
Related Websites
Staskawicz Laboratory, UC-Berkeley: staskawiczlab.berkeley.edu