Epidemiology and Integrated Plant Protection
Ralph Hückelhoven, Felix Hoheneder and Hans Hausladen (at TUM SoLS Plant Technology Center)
The sustainable and secure supply of food of high quality is one of the major challenges modern agriculture faces. Numerous biotic and abiotic factors reduce the quantity and quality of agricultural products. Important biotic factors are especially attributed to the occurrence of animal pests and fungal pathogens in our crops. A healthy plant, however, is a prerequisite for optimal growth and to reach the genetically determined potential yield.
The devision of Epidemiology at the Chair of Phytopathology analyzes the impact of pathogens in the major agricultural crops and examines approaches to the optimization of control strategies. The production of healthy plants according to integrated pest management strategies is the primarily goal. The following key activities are currently being worked on:
- Studying plant functions for better adaptation to abiotic and biotic stress under global warming (F. Hoheneder, R. Hückelhoven)
- Studies of biological and epidemiological contexts, using genomics and conventional greenhouse and field trials (Phytophthora infestans, Ramularia collo-cygni, Alternaria spec. and Fusarium spec.) (F. Hoheneder, R. Hückelhoven, H. Hausladen)
- Development and evolution of fungicide resistance in Alternaria solani (H. Hausladen, R. Hückelhoven)
- Biological protection of potato from early blight caused by Alternaria solani (C. Brune, H. Hausladen)
- Population genetics and global epidemics of Ramularia collo-cygni (F. Hoheneder, R. Hückelhoven)
- Modelling and forecasting of disease epidemics on weather-based parameters (H. Hausladen, F. Hoheneder)
- Optimizing integrated disease menagement under the premise of the reduction of agrochemicals (H. Hausladen)
Selected publications:
Hoheneder F, Groth J, Herz M, Hückelhoven R (2023) Artificially applied late terminal drought stress in the field differentially affects Ramularia leaf spot disease in winter barley. J. Plant Dis. Prot. 130: 157-170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-023-00790-0
Hoheneder F, Biehl EM, Hofer K, Petermeier J, Groth J, Herz M, Rychlik M, Heß M, Hückelhoven R (2022) Host Genotype and Weather Effects on Fusarium Head Blight Severity and Mycotoxin Load in Spring Barley. Toxins 14:125
Einspanier S, Susanto T, Metz N, Wolters PJ, Vleeshouwers VG, Lankinen Å, Liljeroth E, Landschoot S, Ivanović Ž, Hückelhoven R, Hausladen H, Stam R (2022), Whole genome sequencing elucidates the species-wide diversity and evolution of fungicide resistance in the early blight pathogen Alternaria solani. Evolutionary Applications. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13350
Metz N. Hausladen H (2022) Trichoderma spp. as potential biological control agent against Alternaria solani in potato. Biol. Contr. 166: 104820. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2021.104820
Hoheneder F, Hofer K, Groth J, Herz M, Heß M, Hückelhoven R (2021) Ramularia leaf spot disease of barley is highly host genotype-dependent and suppressed by continuous drought stress in the field. J. Plant Dis. Prot. doi.org/10.1007/s41348-020-00420-z
Stam R, Sghyer H, Tellier A, Hess M, Hückelhoven R (2019) The current epidemic of the barley pathogen Ramularia collo-cygni derives from a recent population expansion and shows global admixture. Phytopathol. 109: 2161-2168.
Metz N, Adolf B, Chaluppa N, Hückelhoven R, Hausladen H (2019) Occurrence of sdh mutations in German Alternaria solani isolates and potential impact on boscalid sensitivity in vitro, in the greenhouse and in the field. Plant Disease 103: 3065–3071
Hofer K, Barmeier G, Schmidhalter U, Habler K, Rychlik M, Hückelhoven R, Hess M (2016) Effect of nitrogen fertilization on Fusarium head blight in spring barley. Crop Prot. 88: 18-27
