Research in Plant Pathology is integrated across a variety of disciplines that are used to study plant diseases and plant pathogens. Plant Pathology research at MSU follows the natural continuum from fundamental research to research directed at solving specific disease problems. The interaction between fundamental and applied research enhances the understanding of these disease problems and facilitates development of new knowledge and solutions. Research in Plant Pathology is integrated across a variety of disciplines and approaches that are used to study plant diseases and plant pathogens. The research programs can be defined in terms of pathogen type or commodity. Each member of the faculty has expertise in one or more pathogen group, in one of more areas of scientific approach, and often works across commodity lines. Plant Pathology research at MSU follows the natural continuum from basic research to research directed at solving specific disease problems. The interaction between basic and applied research enhances the understanding of these disease problems and facilitates development of new knowledge and solutions.
The research programs of individual faculty often combine both basic research and applied research to understand and solve disease problems. Some examples of basic research projects include studies on the molecular basis of antibiotic resistance in the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora, population genetics of Phytophthora capsici on vine crops, biochemical and molecular basis of induced disease resistance in cucurbits, use of hypovirulence as a biological control of fungal diseases, and work with recombinant antibodies as a tool for enhancing disease resistance. Each of the basic research projects not only provides knowledge that advances the field of plant pathology, but is also targeted at finding long-term solutions to disease. Our applied research programs are aimed at finding solutions to more urgent disease problems and include the evaluation of cultural, chemical and biological tools of disease management. Some examples include the use of disease resistance to help manage fungicide applications for potato late blight, developing strategies to reduce the onset of fungicide resistance in numerous fungal pathogens, and use and development of predictive models for disease control. Important to the success of all of our research programs is the free flow of ideas and information between the basic and applied research projects. Many of the research projects also involve collaborations within the department as well as with other departments at MSU.