Population Genetics and Disease Management in Pecan Pathosystems
Summary
Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) cultivation faces significant threats from fungal pathogens, most notably Venturia effusa, the causal agent of pecan scab. Understanding the genetic diversity of both host and pathogen populations is fundamental to developing durable disease-management strategies. Population genetics reveals how pathogen populations evolve under the selective pressure of resistant cultivars and fungicide applications, while host genetics informs breeding programmes aimed at enhancing resistance. Advances in genomic sequencing and transcriptome profiling enable the identification of resistance loci, defence signalling networks and key pathogenicity factors. The interplay between host and pathogen genotypes, mediated by environmental conditions and cultural practices, shapes disease outbreaks. Integrating genetic insights with cultural control, chemical treatments and resistant cultivar deployment promotes an integrated pest management framework that minimises yield loss and delays pathogen adaptation. Global germplasm collections serve as reservoirs of allelic diversity, offering novel resistance sources. Meanwhile, elucidation of pathogen mating systems and recombination dynamics informs quarantine measures and the prediction of new virulent races. The synthesis of molecular genetics, field epidemiology and management tactics supports sustainable pecan production and contributes to broader understanding of tree-pathogen interactions.
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Population Genetics and Disease Management in Pecan Pathosystems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in population genetics and disease management in pecan pathosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Population genetics: Study of the distribution and change of allele frequencies in populations, influenced by mutation, selection, gene flow and genetic drift.
Pathosystem: The combined biological system of a host organism, its pathogen and the environmental context in which they interact.
Transcriptome profiling: Analysis of the complete set of RNA transcripts produced by the genome under specific conditions, revealing gene expression changes.
Resistance locus: A genomic region that contains one or more genes conferring the ability to recognise and respond to a pathogen.
Mating-type idiomorph: Alternative genetic sequences at a fungal mating-type locus that determine sexual compatibility and enable genetic recombination.
References
- Transcriptome profile of pecan scab resistant and susceptible trees from a pecan provenance collection. BMC Genomics (2024).
- Transcriptome analysis under pecan scab infection reveals the molecular mechanisms of the defense response in pecans. PLOS ONE (2024).
- First description of the sexual stage of Venturia effusa, causal agent of pecan scab. Mycologia (2020).
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