Migration and evolution of Phytophthora plant pathogens in the age of globalization
E. M. GOSS (1). (1) University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, U.S.A.
<i>Phytophthora</i> plant pathogens have been the subject of research for more than 150 years, yet we still have much to learn. The series of events that led to the emergence of <i>P. infestans</i> as a global pathogen in the 1840’s are debated and new virulent genotypes continue to move between growing regions. The sudden oak death pathogen, <i>P. ramorum</i>, changed the way that we think about forest <i>Phytophthora</i>, and the many new <i>Phytophthora</i> species that are being discovered in forest environments continue to challenge conventional wisdom. While regulations, improved crop breeding, and disease management may control the damage from <i>Phytophthora</i> pathogens in the short-term, managing these pathogens in the long-term will require knowledge of their global movement, how and why some <i>Phytophthora</i> emerge as damaging pathogens, and the biology of endemic <i>Phytophthora</i> in their native ecosystems. My research examines these questions using several <i>Phytophthora</i> species. Recent work on the multiple introductions and migration of <i>P. ramorum</i>, ongoing research on the emergence and re-emergence of <i>P. infestans</i>, and new research on forest <i>Phytophthora</i> will be presented. These examples will be used to illustrate my vision of how population genetic and evolutionary approaches can be used to understand past events and prepare for future challenges.
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