description |
Albugo sp. are obligate biotroph plant pathogens infecting 63 genera and 241 species, including economically important species like Brassica rapa, B. juncea and B. oleracea. Phylogenetically, Albugo is more closely related to necrotrophs such as Pythium than to downy mildews, and thus provides a unique system to study the evolution and consequences of biotrophy. Albugo laibachii is one of the most important pathogens of Arabidopsis thaliana in the field. It can infect a broad range of accessions. A remarkable consequence of infection by Albugo laibachii is enhanced host plant susceptibility to other parasites to which the host is resistant in absence of Albugo infection. The interest is therefore in the identification of these effective suppressors of plant defence. |