Biology of the wheat-yellow rust interaction

A major interest has been the characterisation of the microphenotypes of durable sources of yellow rust resistance in wheat. This has been facilitated by the development within the group of a light microscopy procedure that allows examination of yellow rust development in adult plant tissues (Garrood, 2001; Melichar, 2006). Developmental arrest of the fungus is examined in relation to host cell death and the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates.

Microscopic examinations have also been used to determine the effects of environmental factors such as light quantity on infection efficiency (i.e the ability of spores of the yellow rust fungus to locate and enter stomata found on the wheat leaf surface).

Expertise

The group has considerable expertise in cereal fungal pathology, light, confocal and electron microscopy.