Research

Research activities encompass a broad cross-section of plant pathology, using approaches ranging from molecular cloning of pathogenicity genes in microbes to measuring selection coefficients of competing pathogen strains in field experiments. Significant research topics include microbial ecology, pathogen evolutionary ecology, pathogen genomics and high-throughput disease phenotyping.

The Phytopathology group is organized into six main research teams with the following leading scientists:

Biological Control

Enlarged view: Biocontrol

Prof. Dr. Monika Maurhofer

Our research focus is on the ecological properties of biocontrol pseudomonads as well as the mechanisms that govern interactions among biocontrol bacteria, phytopathogens, pest insects, the plant and the non-target microbiota. Read more

Pathogen Evolutionary Ecology

Enlarged view: Haplotype Network

Prof. Bruce A. McDonald

We focus on pathogen ecology and evolutionary biology with the aim of designing more effective disease management strategies. Read more

Pathogen Genetics & Genomics

Enlarged view: Pathogen Genetics & Genomics

Dr. Jessica Stapley

Our research group focusses on the genetics and genomics of fungal plant pathogens. We focus on identifying the genomic regions associated with phenotypic traits, and on pathogen population genomics and evolutionary potential. Read more

Population Genomics & Evolution

Enlarged view: Population Genomics & Evolution

Dr. Alice Feurtey

Our research focuses on the history of Zymoseptoria tritici at the worldwide scale and on the local adaptation of this important wheat pathogen to climatic conditions. Read more

Evolutionary Pathogenomics

Enlarged view: Evolutionary Pathogenomics

Dr. Cécile Lorrain

Our research interest focusses on how antagonistic interactions shape rapid evolution of plant-​pathogens and how species maintain their evolutionary potential in human-​managed environments. Read more

Crop Disease Phenotyping

Crop Disease Phenotyping

Dr. Jonas Anderegg

We focus on the development of methods enabling automated, high-​throughput phenotyping of crop diseases at multiple scales, ranging from symptoms associated with single lesions on individual leaves to monitoring entire crop stands under field conditions. Read more