Climate change-induced alterations of environmental conditions can impact biotic interactions in agriculture, e.g., plant-pathogen interactions. This includes the infection of maize with the pathogen Ustilago maydis, which causes corn smut disease. Corn smut infection impairs plant biomass production and maize silage properties, resulting in decreased feed uptake by cattle. Additionally, infected sweet corn cobs and kernels are unmarketable due to their unappealing appearance. Thus far, no resistant maize variety has been identified, and no effective fungicide is available.
Our goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying differences in maize susceptibility to U. maydis, as well as the impact of minimal temperature changes that occur during global warming.
