Understanding host resistance to improve control of light leaf spot on winter oilseed rape in the UK
Associate: Laura Sapelli
Supervisors: Dr Yongju Huang, Dr Faye Ritchie
Project description: Light leaf spot is the most economically important disease of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in the UK. This disease can cause annual yield losses of winter oilseed rape worth > £100M, despite the use of fungicides. Light leaf spot is caused by the fungal pathogen Pyrenopeziza brassicae. With the loss of some effective fungicides, development of fungicide insensitivity in P. brassicae and predicted global warming, yield losses are likely to increase. Use of host resistance to control the disease is becoming ever more important.