
Genomic resources for healthy ash trees
Finding genes in ash trees to overcome ash dieback and the emerald ash borer.
Genomic resourcesGlobalisation has caused unintentional but rapid spread of insects, bacteria and fungi around the world. Some of these are causing disastrous epidemics in native plant populations.
The Plant Health and Adaptation team finds long-term solutions to these pests and pathogens by discovering natural variants of genes that enable plants to overcome them.
We use methods developed in human genomic medicine and evolutionary biology. We have found ash tree genes associated with resistance to ash dieback and the emerald ash borer. These can allow us to predict natural responses to these threats and breed more resistant trees.
We also analyse the genomes of pathogenic fungi, to understand how they attack plants.
Senior Research Leader
Prof. Richard Buggs
Research Leaders
Dr Laura Kelly
Dr James Borrell
Post-Doctoral Researchers
Daniel Wood
Mohammed Vatanparast
Mike Charters
Romulo Carleial
Guillermo Friis
Harriet Hunt
Adam Devenish
Dario Galanti
Jaz Stoddart
PhD students
Louise Gathercole
Elvira Hernández Gutiérrez
Gabriele Nocchi
Will Plumb
Research assistants
Connor Tyler
Joe Langley
Sophie Jago
Finding genes in ash trees to overcome ash dieback and the emerald ash borer.
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