UMass Amherst molecular biologist wins grant to outwit plant fungal diseases

(University of Massachusetts at Amherst) The Fusarium oxysporum fungus causes wilt in over 100 plant species including tomato, cotton, watermelon and banana, costing farmers billions of dollars in losses worldwide each year. The disease is difficult to control. Once the soil is infected, the fungus can remain viable for 30 or 40 years, and at present " there really is no way to control it, " Ma says. By advancing understanding of the molecular mechanism of fungal pathogenesis, she hopes to increase ways to develop disease-resistant crops.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news