#13 Tracing Adaptation: Population Genetics meets Plant Pathology – With Prof. Dr. Ralph Hückelhoven and Prof. Dr. Aurélien Tellier

In this episode, we explore the evolutionary dynamics between
plants and their pathogens through the lenses of population
genetics and plant pathology. Our guests, Prof. Dr. Ralph
Hückelhoven and Prof. Dr. Aurélien
Tellier, from the Technical University of Munich discuss
how genome data helps trace adaptation in both crops and
microbes, and how models reveal signatures of natural selection.
A special focus lies on the barley powdery mildew fungus Blumeria
hordei, whose genome is dominated by transposable elements –
mobile DNA sequences that may drive rapid evolution and the
emergence of new effector genes. From fungal infection strategies
to plant immune responses and sustainable agriculture, this
episode highlights how evolution shapes plant-microbe
interactions.

Image credit (Prof. Dr. Ralph Hückelhoven): Tom Freudenberg