Chemistry of Plant-Pathogen Interactions

在众多的植物微生物病害中，真菌病害在世界范围内造成最大的作物损失。虽然通过使用抗病植物品种减轻了产量损失，但通常使用杀真菌剂来最大化作物产量。对污染和农业生产可持续性的持续关注继续激励着这项研究计划。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。我们的研究特别强调的是加拿大最重要的油籽作物之一油菜，以及花椰菜，西兰花，芜菁甘蓝等蔬菜及其最具破坏性的真菌病原体。加拿大预计到2015年将油菜籽产量提高65%，达到1500万吨！这种增加对真菌疾病和其他害虫有什么影响？现在，了解和培育抗病作物的研究比以往任何时候都更重要。该研究计划基于这样的原则，即对植物与微生物病原体复杂相互作用的分子理解可以指导预防和控制植物病害的综合策略的发展。由于这种相互作用是由植物和病原体产生的天然产物介导的，因此必须了解它们的化学反应并确定它们的生态作用。我们正在分析受到各种类型真菌病原体胁迫的植物，并比较所产生的生物产品的概况。我们已经发现了卡诺拉病原体，它们产生强大的化学武器来破坏植物细胞，并使病原体获得营养。我们还发现，油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，我们发现一些植物生物产品可以阻止这一过程，因此我们可以通过模仿这些生物产品来阻止病原体。农业和社区将从我们保护农作物和实现可持续农业实践的工作中受益。在进行这项研究，我们正在培训高素质的人，在许多加拿大机构，包括农业，制药和食品行业，对我们的社会额外的好处必不可少。

Among numerous 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 used to maximize crop yields. Ongoing concerns about pollution and sustainability of agriculture production continue to inspire this 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 is canola, one of the most important Canadian oilseed crops, as well as vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, rutabaga, and their most damaging fungal pathogens. Canada is expected to boost canola production by 65% to 15 million tonnes by 2015! What will be the impact of this increase on fungal diseases and other pests? Now, more than ever, studies to understand and produce disease resistant crops are essential.This research program is based on the principle that a molecular understanding of the complex interactions of plants with microbial pathogens can guide the development of integrated strategies to prevent and control plant diseases. Since such interactions are mediated by natural products produced by both plants and pathogens, it is essential to understand their chemical reactions and determine their ecological roles. We are analyzing plants stressed by various types of fungal pathogens and comparing the profiles of bioproducts produced. We have uncovered canola pathogens that produce potent chemical weapons to destroy plant cells and allow pathogens to obtain nutrients. We discovered also that many pathogens of canola can overcome the plants' chemical defenses by breaking them down. Importantly, we found that a few plant bioproducts can stop this process, thus we can stop the pathogen by mimicking these bioproducts. The farming industry and the community will benefit from our work to protect agricultural crops and enable 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, an additional benefit to our community.