Yanan Guo

Doctor of Philosophy, (Genetics)
Study Completed: 2015
College of Sciences

Citation

Thesis Title
Identification and characterization of Dothistroma septosporum effectors

Read article at Massey Research Online: MRO icon

Dothistroma needle blight, caused by the fungus Dothistroma septosporum, is a major pest of pine species. Outbreaks of the disease cause extensive defoliation and mortality in plantations of pine. To understand the molecular cross-talk between Dothistroma septosporum and pine, Mrs Guo identified and characterised several effector genes (factors that facilitate pathogen invasion) from the Dothistroma septosporum New Zealand genome. She investigated in planta expression of those effectors during disease progression, polymorphism of those effectors in a global collection of Dothistroma septosporum strains and tested if those effectors are virulence factors when infecting pinus radiata. Her results provide screening tools for pine resistant germplasm. Eventually this could lead to knowledge of plant susceptibility and/or resistance genes that could be exploited in future breeding programmes.

Supervisors
Professor Rosie Bradshaw
Dr Rebecca Ganley
Dr Kee Sohn