Plant-Microbe Interactions

Discover the fascinating world of plant-microbe interactions! This course offers a comprehensive and hands-on introduction to how plants respond to both harmful and beneficial microorganisms. You will explore the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms behind interactions between plants and pathogenic fungi with different lifestyles, as well as beneficial microbes that make up the plant microbiome.

You will also learn about the dynamic relationship in the rhizosphere, including how bacteria and fungi compete or cooperate through processes such as antibiosis. Bioinformatics tools will be introduced to help you analyze and interpret plant-microbe interaction data, with a special emphasis on effector discovery, giving you a practical skill for modern biological research. Pathogen effectors strongly determine susceptibility or resistance in Plants.

Through a combination of lectures, computer assignments, and laboratory experiments, including plant inoculations, symptom assessments, antagonism tests, in vitro growth tests, protein extractions, and agro-infiltrations, you will connect theoretical knowledge with real research techniques.

This course is an excellent foundation for an MSc thesis or internship in Plant Pathology at the Laboratory of Phytopathology. It also prepares you for a PhD in Molecular Phytopathology or a career as a Research Scientist in plant breeding, biotechnology, or crop protection.

• Describe the molecular mechanisms underlying plant interactions with various fungal pathogens (Fusarium, Pseudocercospora fijiensis, Botrytis, Fulvia fulva)

• Explain how resistance proteins (immune receptors) function to protect plants against microbial pathogens, and how pathogens break resistance

• Describe effector discovery strategies, their properties, and explain their functionalities

• Describe the diversity and function of the microbiome for stimulating plant growth and health

• Analyse and summarise scientific publications in the field of molecular plant-microbe interactions

• Conduct basic experiments designed to study plant-microbe interactions

• Write a report about the aims, setup and outcome of phytopathological experiments

• Written test with open and closed questions (75%) Bring your own device (BYOD).
• Assignment report (25%) Written per group of two students. If the grading is found to be insufficient, the report should be submitted within four weeks following the written examination.

ZSS06100 Laboratory Safety Useful earlier courses are:
PHP30806 Molecular Aspects of Bio-Interactions;
ENT30306 Ecological Aspects of Bio-Interactions;
GEN20306 Molecular and Evolutionary Ecology;
GEN20806 Plant Biotechnology and PBR30306 Breeding for Quality and Resistance.

• The course documents will be provided through Brightspace.