Ash dieback disease

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=kA39bpXRd08&feature=emb_logo

Context

Ash Dieback Disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, is now widespread in the UK, and a serious problem affecting many of our ash trees.

The research

We are using genetic analysis techniques such as Associative Transcriptomics to map the inheritance of the reduced susceptibility to the disease exhibited by a small proportion of trees, which is helping to uncover the potential mechanisms conferring immunity, as well as identifying genetic markers that can be used to select tolerant trees.

Recently we expanded our work to begin exploring resistance against another important threat to European ash populations, the Emerald Ash Borer beetle. As this pest has the potential to cause even more damage to already depleted ash populations, we are applying some of the tools developed in our Ash Dieback work to develop new breeding targets for combatting Emerald Ash Borer.

Project activities and publications

• BBC item
• Genome sequence and genetic diversity of European ash trees is published in Nature
• Molecular markers for tolerance of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) to dieback disease identified using Associative Transcriptomics is published in Nature