New leaflet: Models for host-pathogen dynamics
Modelling experts from ENDURE’s research team studying the exploitation of plant genetic resistance have recently produced a leaflet explaining how to use three models employed by researchers at ENDURE partners Aarhus University (AU), INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research) and Wageningen University (WUR).
In their introduction to the models, the researchers note: “Use of disease resistant cultivars is a key to environmentally friendly and economically sustainable disease control in modern crop production. It is put at risk by the evolutionary potential of pathogens to overcome disease resistance of crop cultivars.
“Three different modelling tools have been developed that consider key evolutionary mechanisms and driving forces behind pathogen evolution. The models can be used to examine how pathogen evolution, disease development and spread are likely to be affected by a broad range of strategies for deploying crop cultivars with various types and sources of disease resistance.
“Using these models can assist in designing sustainable resistance deployment strategies, on a temporal as well as spatial scale, that control disease problems and minimise food security risks such as those caused by evolution of new virulent pathogen strains or pathogen ‘super races’.”
The leaflet, Conceptualizing disease management by use of resistant cultivars: three models for host-pathogen dynamics , examines AU’s Parsimonious model of pathogen population evolution , INRA’s Reaction-diffusion model of host-pathogen dynamics and WUR’s Large-scale epidemic dispersal model . In brief, their uses and applications are outlined below. You can find out more by downloading the leaflet:
| Institute and model | Use | Practical and theoretical destinations |
| AU: Parsimonious model of pathogen population evolution | The AU model is the simplest and gives a quick idea about major consequences of selection pressure exerted by various types, sources and deployment modes (e.g. gene rotation vs gene pyramiding) of host resistance on the evolution of pathogen populations and their race composition over time. |
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| INRA: Reaction-diffusion model of host-pathogen dynamics | The INRA model can be used for designing well suited strategies of geographical deployment of resistant cultivars and other heterogeneity sources that could prevent emergence and disease spread. |
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| WUR: Large-scale epidemic dispersal model | The WUR model allows us to determine effects, including trade offs, of agricultural landscaping measures based on deployment of resistance - affecting spatial heterogeneity - and the dispersal capabilities of aerially dispersed plant pathogens on their (additional) disease suppressive effect at different spatial scales. |
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Last update: 17/05/2013 - ENDURE © 2009 - Contact ENDURE - Disclaimer