Decoding an ancient, iconic tree species to save it from disease. Bunya pines, iconic conifers that hold special significance to First Nations communities and Australia’s biodiversity, are seriously t

Description

Decoding an ancient, iconic tree species to save it from disease. Bunya pines, iconic conifers that hold special significance to First Nations communities and Australia’s biodiversity, are seriously threatened due to dieback caused by introduced pathogens known as Phytophthora spp. Using cutting-edge DNA sequencing, the project will decode the genomes of the Bunya pines and Phytophthora spp. to investigate genes and molecular pathways associated with disease development and resistance. The expected outcomes are molecular methods to identify dieback-resistant plants for regeneration purposes; rapid disease diagnostics; and pathogen monitoring. The key benefits are to protect Australia’s biodiversity from invasive pathogens and to maintain cultural heritage values. . Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3108 - Plant Biology. Lead: Prof Sambasivam Periyannan