“The enemy of my enemy… why does Zymoseptoria infect wheat but not wheat's worst weed blackgrass?”

This PhD project offers an exciting opportunity to investigate two of the most problematic pests of the UK cereal production: Alopecurus myosuroides (blackgrass) and Zymoseptoria tritici (Zt). Blackgrass is Western Europe’s most problematic and costly weed, while Zt causes Septoria tritici blotch, one of the most devastating diseases of wheat. Given that blackgrass often grows in Zt-infected wheat fields, it is very likely that blackgrass has been exposed to Zt. However, our preliminary laboratory data show that blackgrass does not develop Septoria tritici blotch.  This suggests blackgrass has natural resistance mechanism, or mechanisms, against Zt infections.  

The aim of this unique plant-pathogen project is to determine why blackgrass can resist Septoria tritici blotch when wheat cannot. Understanding blackgrass’s resistance mechanisms may reveal new strategies to boost wheat’s resistant to Septoria tritici blotch, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient agrifood system.  

Project objectives: to confirm blackgrass can resist Septoria tritici blotch and make progress towards understanding the molecular and/or physiological mechanism(s) behind blackgrass's resistance.  

Based at Rothamsted Research, in collaboration with the University of Exeter, this PhD project provides you with comprehensive training and access to unique tools and resources including:  

1. Advanced Bioimaging Techniques: Use cutting-edge bioimaging facilities to visualise fungal behaviour on blackgrass leaves. 

2. Extensive Zymoseptoria tritici Collections: Use UV-mutagenized isolates to identifying strains that overcome blackgrass’s resistance and >50 GFP-tagged field- and lab-isolates ideal for imaging blackgrass-pathogen interactions. 

3. Field-Collected and Selected Blackgrass Germplasm: Access an extensive and well-characterised collection to identify natural variations in susceptibility. 

4. Rothamsted’s Research Farm: Conduct research on an 800-hectare research farm, collecting blackgrass and wheat samples from Zt-infected fields for real-world relevance.  

The multidisciplinary project crosses scales from field to gene with the ultimate goal of identifying key genes or pathways involved in blackgrass’s resistance to Zt. You will gain hands-on experience and learn to generate and quantify empirical data using physiology, cell biology, molecular biology, and genomics techniques. Appropriate training in statistical and bioinformatic skills will be offered. We are looking for someone with an interest plant pathology, weed science, or related fields who is excited to use a wide range of techniques and approaches such as microscopy, plant science, and molecular biology in laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments. For informal queries, please contact dana.macgregor@rothamsted.ac.uk  

Our aim as the SWBio DTP is to support students from a range of backgrounds and circumstances. Where needed, we will work with you to take into consideration reasonable project adaptations (for example to support caring responsibilities, disabilities, other significant personal circumstances) as well as flexible working and part-time study requests, to enable greater access to a PhD.  All our supervisors support us with this aim, so please feel comfortable in discussing further with the listed PhD project supervisor to see what is feasible.