Leach - Plant Disease and Resistance Lab

One of the most intriguing challenges for plant biologists is to understand the complex interactions of plants, their environment, and the multitude of living organisms in or around the plant – the phytobiome. These studies integrate physiological, molecular, genomic and genetic approaches, and involve laboratory and field experimentation. Ultimately, the goals of our group are to identify sources of long-lasting, broad-spectrum disease/insect resistance in the plant host, allowing for the development of ecologically sustainable forms of plant disease/insect control.

Plant Disease and Resistance Research

Research in the Leach group focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of plant disease susceptibility and resistance, with a particular interest in quantitative traits for susceptibility and resistance. We also study how climate changes impact plant disease caused by microbial pathogens, primarily studying rice and interactions with bacterial pathogens, and how the Russian wheat aphid microbiome influences the insects’ aggressiveness to plants. Our group also develops molecular diagnostics for microbial pathogens.

Research Projects and Funding

Advanced Crop Improvement (ACI)

Meeting Challenges for Food Security Short Course: The Advanced Crop Improvement course took place in October 2019 at the AfricaRice Regional Training Center in St. Louis, Senegal. Six professionals from three different countries led a group of international participants for two weeks in topics that included: issues relating to food security, crop improvement methods and scientific communication.

Current Funding

Development of molecular diagnostics for an emerging bacterial disease of maize, USDA-APHIS QTL Engineering, NSF Self killing turned outward? Investigating the function of a Xathomonas secreted protein and parallels with a toxin anti-toxin system, USDA-NIFA A Deep Sequencing-Based Genome Discovery Pipeline to Link Genotype to Phenotype in Rice, US-AID-IRRI Linkage Dietary Rice Bran Supplementation for Gut Mucosal Immunity and Healthy Rice Crop Improvement, Phase II Grand Challenges Explorations- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Publications

Read more about our publications here.

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News & Updates

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Contact Information

mailing address

Colorado State University
Plant Science Building E106
Fort Collins, CO 80523

phone

(970) 491-2924

e-mail Jan.Leach@Colostate.edu