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APS Journals Online Research Update

March 14, 2012

Most-Read Papers

 


 

 


Plant Disease Feature Article
In this month's Feature entitled, "Verticillium Wilt, A Major Threat to Olive Production: Current Status and Future Prospects for its Management," Jiménez-Díaz et al. describe the increase in incidence and severity of Verticillium wilt of olive in the last two decades. The feature illustrates how changes in cultural practices can have significant unintended effects on old disease problems. Read more...
Editors' Picks

Plant Disease Editor's Pick

Dr. R. Michael Davis,
Editor-in-Chief

S. L. Bithell and colleagues in New Zealand and Australia evaluate a predictive model for take-all of wheat in the March issue of Plant Disease. A quantitative PCR method was developed and used to detect and compare concentrations of Gaeumannomyces species and subsequent take-all. Based on preplant soil assays, the researchers could predict risk crop loss, within limits, using soilborne inoculum categories. The model improves upon previous take-all assessment protocols. Read more...
 

MPMI Editor's Pick  

Dr. Gary Stacey, Editor-in-Chief 
Identifying the cellular location of pathogen recognition is important to understanding the molecular basis of disease resistance. In the March issue of MPMI, Takemoto et al. used protein-GFP fusions of several known disease resistance proteins to investigate their cellular location. The results show that, although most localized to the plasma membrane, others were found in the endomembrane system. The authors postulate that the location of each protein may reflect its specific function, including interaction with other proteins.  Read more... 
 
Phytopathology Editor's Pick
Dr. George Sundin, Editor-in-Chief
Virulence of the bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum increases incrementally based on the production of numerous virulence factors. In the March issue of Phytopathology, Addy et al. show that infection of R. solanacearum cells by a filamentous bacteriphage results in increased virulence. Phage infection is associated with increased exopolysaccharide production and phage particles associate on the cell surface, altering hydrophobicity. This is an interesting example of infection of a pathogen that positively affects the pathogen's virulence. Read more...