The first responders of our green infrastructure

When people start feeling ill, they go to the doctor. When a dog, cat, or a cow shows signs of illness, we call a vet. But what happens when a wheat field just doesn’t look right or corn yields underperform? Plant pathologists are both the first responders and preventative health care team for the plants we depend on. CFANS researchers are tracking emerging diseases, identifying novel disease resistant genes, and working at the intersection of plant and human health. 

When it comes to breeding staple crops, CFANS has long been a leader, dating back to E.C. Stakman and H.K. Hayes in the 1930s, who developed rust-resistant spring wheat varieties. Professor Brian Steffenson continues this legacy, utilizing plant genetics to tackle some of the greatest threats to cereal crop health. Steffenson’s mission: identify new, disease resistant genes from wild species of wheat and barley and then utilize those genes to breed healthier, disease resistant crops. 

He and his team have assembled large collections of wild cereal species from around the globe and have systematically evaluated them for resistance to important diseases. From his research, many new disease resistance genes have been discovered. Steffenson said he “continues to be amazed at the high level of diversity for disease resistance present in the wild cereal relatives.”

Cory Hirsch, associate professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, is also looking for ways to strengthen our crops, including potatoes, corn, and sugar beets. Besides addressing weaknesses to diseases like root rot, Hirsch is also looking to future-proof crops in the face of climate change. When plants are stressed by heat, too much moisture, or too little, or a lack of nutrients, yields fall and they become more susceptible to diseases. 

Hirsch and his team experiment on corn growing in greenhouses where they have greater control over the growing conditions and can simulate the different environmental stresses the crop faces in a changing climate. 

“We want to stress the plants out, but not kill them. And then see what treatments and interventions can help,” Hirsch explains. “We want to save farmers time and money — identifying what works and what isn’t worth the time and expense.” 

It’s not all crops and genetic research. The Plant Disease Clinic housed on the St. Paul Campus is just what its name implies - a clinic for plants. They accept samples of ailing plants from around the country, flowers, trees, shrubs, crops, you name it, they test it for fungal, bacterial, or viral conditions. By providing an accurate diagnosis, they help both commercial growers and the general public better manage and treat plant diseases.

In the face of the challenges of hunger, growing populations, and a changing climate, plant pathologists at CFANS are innovating to protect plants and the people who depend on them. 

Read more about the people and research keeping our plants healthy: 

• Origin of deadly wheat pathogen revealed 
• Healthier together: Refining the soil microbe combinations that can help corn grow
• José Sanchez is discovering how potato-damaging bacteria fare over Minnesota winters
• Into the galleries: How emerald ash borer beetles are changing the microbial communities in Minnesota’s ash trees