Robigalia Roundup #8

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

This week we learn about exciting progress on the "growth-defence trade-off" hypothesis. We also have plenty of exciting post-doc opportunities available to ECRs. As always, Robigalia subscribers can access my online database with summaries of Robigalia featured articles.

Keep reading for the latest updates!

Plant pathology research

A trade-off between investment in molecular defense repertoires and growth in plants

Plants must balance resource allocation between growth and defence against pathogens. The "growth-defence trade-off" hypothesis suggests that investing in defence mechanisms, such as NLRs, comes at the cost of reduced growth. While there has been evidence for this trade-off within species, this study examines it across various plant species, including wild and agricultural plants.

This study, published in Science last week, analysed nearly 1,800 plant genomes and found compelling evidence for this fundamental trade-off. Using advanced statistical methods, including structural equation modelling, researchers examined the relationship between NLR (nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat) densities and specific leaf area (SLA; a proxy of plant growth rate over time).

The researchers found wild plants typically had more of these defence genes than agricultural crops, and crucially, discovered that the more defence genes a wild plant had, the slower it grew*. This negative correlation was particularly strong in wild species, providing the first broad evidence for this trade-off across the plant kingdom.

This trade-off was absent in agricultural crops, suggesting that human breeding practices may have altered this natural balance. The findings could explain why plants in nature show such variation in their growth rates and disease resistance, and have important implications for developing more resilient crops while maintaining yields.

_{*Read up on the number of NLR genes in slow-growing, long-lived Myrtaceae species like Eucalyptus grandis and Melaleuca quinquenervia to have your mind blown} 🤯_.  

Research tools you’re loving

Sioyek

Move over Adobe Reader, Sioyek is an advanced PDF viewer specifically designed for researchers and academics, offering a comprehensive set of features to enhance document navigation and analysis. Its key capabilities include powerful search functionality, smart jumping between document sections, a portal system for cross-referencing, and annotation tools like bookmarks and highlights.

The application stands out with its keyboard-focussed design, Synctex integration for LaTeX users, and extensive customisation options. Sioyek prioritises efficiency and user experience, providing a command palette, ruler feature, and intuitive navigation tools that make reading and studying complex academic documents significantly more streamlined and productive. Its flexible, research-oriented approach makes it a valuable tool for students and researchers.

Research student of the week

COMING TO YOUR INBOX NEXT WEEK!

🌟 Want to highlight your research to plant pathologists from across the globe? Fill out the EOI and I will feature you and your research in Robigalia 🌟 

PhD Scholarships and Jobs

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

PhD Scholarships

• If you are interested in plant-microbe metagenomics this PhD opportunity is for you. Study at the University of Lyon with an Eiffel PhD scholarship

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

• Graduate Student Position in Smart Plant Pathology Lab, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

• The Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIPZ) and the University of Cologne are recruiting 7 PhD students with a keen interest in experimental, mathematical & computational plant biology

• Predicting fungicide resistance evolution: combining theoretical and experimental approaches, University of Cambridge

• Be sure to regularly check out the CSIRO Industry PhD Program website which includes all of the current PhD Scholarship opportunities in Australia

Jobs

• The Saunders group are looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to decipher the role of epigenetic switching in supporting virulence gains for wheat rust fungi

• Head to the University of Bologna to explore fungal genetics, pathogenicity, and host adaptation in plant pathogenic fungi

• CSIRO are advertising for a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Quantitative Genetics for Plant Breeding using ML and AI

• The Centre for the Public Awareness of Science is looking for a Postdoctoral Fellow to undertake independent research in the area of misinformation and plant biosecurity

• The DAFF Plant Innovation Centre is hiring for two positions in plant biosecurity research based in Mickleham

Other News and Opportunities

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

• 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

• Save the date for the 25th Australasian Plant Pathology Society conference in Sydney in May 2025

Meme of the week

#dreamteam

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