Dr Sanushka Naidoo

Academic Staff

Research Interests

Ralstonia solanacaerum, the causal agent of bacterial wilt, causes devastating crop losses on several plant species including solanaceous, leguminous, monocotyledonous plants, and some tree and shrub species. This soil-borne vascular pathogen has previously been shown to be a host on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress) (Deslandes et al., 1998. Mol. Plant Microbe Interact. 11, 659-667). Despite efforts for biocontrol, it has been recognised that the most effective method to control the disease remains to develop resistant varieties.

To this end, the aim of our project involves investigating the disease response in Arabidopsis thaliana upon challenge with an African isolate of R. solanacearum. We are employing microarray technology to screen the Arabidopsis thaliana genome to identify those genes involved in susceptibility and resistance. Several candidate genes have been identified. Currently, gene function studies are being conducted to determine whether these candidate genes are involved in susceptibility or resistance against the pathogen.

The orthologues of such candidate genes could be used as marker genes to distinguish between susceptible and resistant varieties in the more important crop plants, and could potentially be used to transform plants to confer resistance against bacterial wilt disease.