Resistance Mechanisms

We focus on the biological features of viruses, the diseases they cause and the way how plants respond to viral attack. We search for resistance against viruses in plants, and describe the resistance responses to ultimately provide mechanistic explanations of host resistance.

• Virus diversity and pathogenicity –  Dr. Stephan Winter
• Natural virus resistance in plants – Dr. Samar Sheat
• High throughput screening tools for precise phenotyping of resistant plants -  Dr. Samar Sheat
• Virus genes and plant response - Dr. Stephan Winter & Dr. Samar Sheat
• Defence pathways – Dr. Samar Sheat & Dr. Stephan Winter
• Virus elimination and exclusion – Dr. Samar Sheat

• Diversity of cassava brown streak viruses and disease progress in  Sub Sahara Africa
• Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus genes governing host speciation
• Identification of the causal agents of the cassava witches broom disease and the cassava frogskin disease in South East Asia and in South America
• Characterization of resistance in cassava against cassava brown streak viruses and cassava mosaic viruses
• Evolution of cassava brown streak virus genes and durability of resistance
• Controlling virus diseases of cassava in Cameroon with improved planting materials and preventing the introduction and spread of cassava brown streak disease with preemptive measures