Getting to the root of a club - Understanding developmental manipulation by the clubroot pathogen.

Plasmodiophora brassicae Wor., the clubroot pathogen, is the perfect example of an "atypical" plant pathogen. This soil-borne protist and obligate biotrophic parasite infects the roots of cruciferous crops, inducing galls or clubs that lead to wilting, loss of productivity, and plant death.

The clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae: A profile update.

Background: Plasmodiophora brassicae is the causal agent of clubroot disease of cruciferous plants and one of the biggest threats to the rapeseed (Brassica napus) and brassica vegetable industry worldwide.

Disease Symptoms: In the advanced stages of clubroot disease wilting, stunting, yellowing, and redness are visible in the shoots. However, the typical symptoms of the disease are the presence of club-shaped galls in the roots of susceptible hosts that block the absorption of water and nutrients.

First report of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) blackleg disease caused by Dickeya solani in Mayabeque, Cuba.

Blackleg, caused by Pectobacterium spp. and Dickeya spp., is an important disease of potatoes.

Altered expression of the bZIP transcription factor DRINK ME affects growth and reproductive development in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Here we describe an uncharacterized gene that negatively influences Arabidopsis growth and reproductive development. DRINK ME (DKM; bZIP30) is a member of the bZIP transcription factor family, and is expressed in meristematic tissues such as the inflorescence meristem (IM), floral meristem (FM), and carpel margin meristem (CMM). Altered DKM expression affects meristematic tissues and reproductive organ development, including the gynoecium, which is the female reproductive structure and is determinant for fertility and sexual reproduction.