News
Novel challenges and opportunities for resistance to pests and pathogens
Fifth International Workshop on the Genetics of Host-Parasite Interactions in Forestry
23-28 August 2015, Orleans, France
The workshop focuses on the recent invasions of non-native pests and pathogens that are causing considerable damage and mortality in native and managed forests worldwide like:
- Sudden Oak death (Phytophthora ramorum)
- European Ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus)
- Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)
- Japanese Larch disease (Phytophthora ramorum)
- etc.
and also on emerging and expanding parasites such as
- Woolly Poplar aphid (Phloeomyzus passerinii)
- Pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa)
- Pine nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus)
- etc.
Genetic resistance to these pathogens and insects is the logical first line of defense for trees, and significant advances in developing resistance have been made in a few species. Now is an opportune time to convene and discuss what strategies to take and how to become even more efficient in developing resistant populations. The rationale behind these workshops is to create an interface between science and management to achieve sustainable forestry.
The main topics will be:
- Resistance / tolerance and virulence / aggressiveness mechanisms
- Breeding and management strategies for durable resistance in a changing environment
- Host-parasite co-evolution
- Novel host-parasite interactions due to emerging or non-native pests and pathogens
- Population genetics of pests, pathogens and vectors
- New frontiers in tree-parasite interactions : from genes to landscapes and communities
