Chemistry of plant-pathogen interactions

在种类繁多的植物微生物病害中，真菌病害在全世界造成最大的作物损失。虽然通过使用抗病植物品种减少了产量损失，但为了使作物产量最大化，施用杀真菌剂往往是必不可少的。对污染和农业生产可持续性的持续关注继续激励我们的研究计划。我们的总体目标是使用环境和生态可持续的方法来了解和控制植物真菌病害。在我们的研究中特别强调的是一些最重要的加拿大油籽作物，油菜和油菜籽，以及蔬菜，如花椰菜，西兰花，芜菁甘蓝，和他们最具破坏性的真菌病原体。为此，我们正在分析受各种类型真菌病原体胁迫的植物，并比较所产生的天然产物。例如，我们已经发现了油菜“黑胫”真菌，它们产生称为植物毒素的强效化学武器，以破坏植物细胞并使病原体获得营养。在其他情况下，油菜“锈病”真菌似乎更微妙，能够欺骗植物制造效力较低的化合物，并允许它们快速传播。此外，油菜和芥菜的许多病原体可以通过破坏植物的化学防御来克服它们。重要的是，我们发现一些天然植物产品可以阻止这一过程，因此我们可以使用类似的生物产品来阻止病原体。另一方面，我们已经发现芥菜植物能够通过分解入侵者产生的植物毒素来对抗真菌感染，从而防止定植。总之，我们的研究为油菜和相关植物真菌病害控制策略的发展做出了开创性的贡献。如果我们的工作能够有助于保护农作物和促进可持续农业实践，农业和所有公众（实际上是国际社会）都将受益。在进行这项研究时，我们正在培训高素质的人才，这对许多加拿大机构至关重要，包括农业，制药和食品行业，这对我们的社区来说是一个巨大的额外好处。

Among the great variety of plant microbial diseases, fungal diseases cause the largest crop losses worldwide. Although yield losses are attenuated by the use of disease-tolerant plant varieties, application of fungicides is often essential to maximize crop yields. An ongoing concern about pollution and sustainability of agriculture production continues to inspire our research program. Our overall objective is to understand and control plant fungal diseases using environmentally and ecologically sustainable methods. Of particular emphasis in our studies are some of the most important Canadian oilseed crops, canola and rapeseed, as well as vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, rutabaga, and their most damaging fungal pathogens. Towards this end we are analyzing plants stressed by various types of fungal pathogens and comparing the natural products produced. For example, we have uncovered canola "blackleg" fungi that produce potent chemical weapons called phytotoxins to destroy plant cells and allow pathogens to obtain nutrients. In other cases, a canola "rust" fungus appears to be subtler and is able to trick the plant to make compounds that are less potent and allow their quick spread. Furthermore, many pathogens of canola and mustard can overcome the plants' chemical defences by breaking them down. Importantly, we found that a few natural plant products can stop this process, thus we may be able to stop the pathogen using similar bioproducts. On the other hand, we have discovered that mustard plants are able to counter attack fungal infection by breaking down the phytotoxins produced by the invader and thus prevent colonization. In summary, our research is providing ground-breaking contributions to the development of strategies for the control of fungal diseases of canola and related plants. The farming industry and all public (indeed the world community) will benefit if our work can contribute to protect agricultural crops and facilitate sustainable agriculture practices. In carrying out this research, we are training highly qualified people, essential in many Canadian institutions, including the agricultural, pharmaceutical, and food industries, a great additional benefit to our community.