SCIENTISTS have cracked the genetic code of septoria tritici – the most important foliar disease of wheat in the UK – and in doing so have gained an insight into how the disease is able to evade wheat’s natural defences.
The researchers, who were funded by the BBSRC and others, hope the study, which reveals the complete genome sequence of the septoria pathogen mycosphaerella graminicola, will enable them to breed resistant crop plants or improve the use of pesticides.
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