Por Robert Park (Judith & David Coffey Chair of Sustainable Agriculture The University of Sydney Faculty of Science, School of Life & Environmental Sciences Plant Breeding Institute, The University of Sydney).

According to the WHO, about one third of the world’s population is well fed, one third underfed, and one third is starving; every year, 15 million children die of hunger. Plant diseases are a significant contributor to this imbalance, with conservative estimates of global losses to plant diseases in the order of 10%. Rust diseases of plants are caused by obligate fungal pathogens that have evolved in tight association with their host; those that attack cereals are among the most damaging and feared plant diseases. Cereal rust research at the University of Sydney began in 1921, and has continued uninterrupted since. Our research targets the use of genetics for the sustainable control of these damaging pathogens. This seminar will recap the story of rust research at USyd, discuss current global challenges in rust control, and present results from our most recent research on host and pathogen genomics.