Corn Journal
  • Corn Journal
  • Author
  • Stalk Rot Booklet
  • Seed Testing
  • Corn Genetics
  • Pathology
  • Sponsors
  • Contact
"You can see a lot by just looking"-Yogi Berra

Pathogen mutations

12/10/2019

 
​Corn’s past and its future is driven by mutations, allowing for humans to select desirable characteristics.  Because most meaningful mutations generational result in changes is recessive genes that only become expressed when, in diploids, homozygous for that recessive gene, the mutations may not become evident in hybrids but only after inbreeding.
 
Bacteria and fungi also have mutations but most of their life cycle is controlled by haploid versions of DNA.  Consequently, a mutation can have immediate effect on a potential pathogen.  Most of these organisms have high rates of reproduction and spread.  Mutations in a potential pathogen resulting in a new protein that allows blocking the detection of a pathogen by the host plant can result in success of the pathogen to further invade the plant.  Races of Exserohilum turcicum have specific mutations that block the turning on of specific lesion size restriction in corn of Ht1, Ht2, Ht3 and Ht4.  Clavibacter michiganensis is a bacterium species with multiple subspecies that are essentially mutants adapted to specific hosts including wheat and tomatoes.  A mutant was identified on corn in Nebraska in 1970 as the cause of Goss’s wilt of corn.  
 
Mutations in potential pathogens will continue, as will mutations in corn.  Diversity is good, most of the time, and necessary for all of us into the future.

Comments are closed.

    About Corn Journal

    The purpose of this blog is to share perspectives of the biology of corn, its seed and diseases in a mix of technical and not so technical terms with all who are interested in this major crop. With more technical references to any of the topics easily available on the web with a search of key words, the blog will rarely cite references but will attempt to be accurate. Comments are welcome but will be screened before publishing. Comments and questions directed to the author by emails are encouraged.

    Archives

    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

© COPYRIGHT 2023. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
  • Corn Journal
  • Author
  • Stalk Rot Booklet
  • Seed Testing
  • Corn Genetics
  • Pathology
  • Sponsors
  • Contact