Robigalia Roundup #12

Hello Robigalia Reader and welcome back to another week of Robigalia, delivering the latest research, tools, and opportunities in plant pathology.

This week we discuss rust pathogen affecting the invasive grass in Australia, and we introduce a recent Masters graduate who researched Huanglongbing. Don’t forget to fill out the EOI to have your research featured. As always, Robigalia subscribers can access my online database with summaries of Robigalia featured articles.

Keep reading for the latest updates!

Recent plant pathology research

A rust pathogen affecting the invasive Navua sedge (Cyperus aromaticus) in Australia – A fortuitous biocontrol agent?

Usually, the introduction of a new rust fungus is cause for alarm in Australia. However, the recent discovery of Puccinia kyllingae-erectae on Navua sedge (Cyperus aromaticus) in Queensland presents an intriguing case of a potentially beneficial pathogen for weed control.

In August 2023, researchers first detected P. kyllingae-erectae on a grazing property in Topaz, northern Queensland. This rust fungus, originally targeted for importation from Africa as a biocontrol agent, was found to be genetically identical to its African counterpart. Subsequent surveys revealed its widespread presence across the Atherton Tablelands and coastal lowlands, from Innisfail to Cape Tribulation.

The impact of P. kyllingae-erectae on Navua sedge has been significant. It kills 80-95% of the above-ground foliage, with approximately 90% tiller mortality observed at test sites in Malanda and Gordonvale. Despite this, Navua sedge demonstrates resilience by resprouting from underground rhizomes.

This rust fungus could potentially benefit Queensland's beef, dairy, and sugarcane industries, which have been struggling with Navua sedge infestations. Importantly, P. kyllingae-erectae appears to be host-specific, not affecting other pasture species or native sedges.

Additionally, scientists are investigating another potential biocontrol agent - a smut fungus called Cintractia kyllingae, which targets the sedge's flowers. The combination of these two fungi could provide a comprehensive approach to controlling Navua sedge, affecting both its foliage and reproductive capabilities.

Research student of the week

Meet Muhammad Asif Iqbal

This week’s student of the week is Muhammad Asif Iqbal who recently completed his Masters at the University of Sargodha focussing on Citrus greening (Huanglongbing, HLB).

Muhammad's project delved into the molecular intricacies of HLB, focusing on the genetic variation within Candidatus Liberibacter species and their interactions with citrus plants. He expanded his study to explore genetic variations across different citrus species, aiming to identify resistant genes against the greening pathogen.

Driven by a passion for developing eco-friendly plant protection techniques, Muhammad's research was crucial for advancing our understanding of disease resistance mechanisms and strategies to combat HLB in citrus crops. His work aimed to pave the way for more effective diagnostics, treatments, and breeding methods to enhance citrus plant resilience.

Muhammad aimed to integrate plant pathology with nanotechnology, aspiring to develop innovative biocontrol strategies and lead research initiatives in sustainable plant disease management.

If you want to find out more about Muhammad’s research, you can get in touch with him via email.

🌟 This could be you! Fill out the EOI to feature your research in Robigalia 🌟 

PhD Scholarships and Jobs

New opportunities below are indicated by two asterisks at the start of the entry **

PhD Scholarships

• **Explore how changes in cell wall structure trigger plant defence responses

• **Investigate disease mechanisms of the barley pathogen Ramularia collo cygni

• **Study the epidemiology of Botryosphaeriaceae associated with mango dieback

• **Ranking priority plant pest and diseases and their preparedness activities

• PhD opportunity in fungal immunity: how do NLR genes allow fungi to navigate the microbial world?

• 15 PhD Positions in Molecular and Developmental Biology, Genomics or Computational Science Funded through EU Research

• Identification of novel virulence determinants in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae at TSL

• The MoRE lab are looking for suitable candidates to apply for a INPhINIT fellowship for study of evolution of plant virus interactions and evolution of crosskingdom RNAi in plant-fungus symbiotic interactions

• Use cutting-edge AI to improve crops! Women & underrepresented candidates encouraged. Search for Project 25E

• Several PhD Positions are available in Plant and Microbial Sciences at the John Innes Centre and The Sainsbury Laboratory, UK

Jobs

• **Two post doc opportunities; One on Quantitative Disease Resistance mechanisms and one on Population Genomics of barley pathogens

Other News and Opportunities

New opportunities below are indicated by two asterisks at the start of the entry **

• Abstracts are open for the 25th Australasian Plant Pathology Society conference in Sydney in May 2025. They are also offering bursaries for ECRs!

• Apply for the UPSC Symposium for Early Career Plant Scientists and present your research in March 2025!

• Join the Plant-Microbiome Interaction Symposium at the John Innes Centre, 10-11 February 2025

• Save the date for the Congress of the Mediterranean Phytopathological Union happening July 6 - 10th in Italy

• Register your interest for the 17th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference in Sydney in June 2025

Meme of the week

Before you go…

• Like or didn’t like this new newsletter format? Let me know if the comments!

• Think a friend (or two) could benefit from reading? I’d love it if you could share this link with them.

Until next week,

Alyssa