Effector Discovery in Ascochyta Pathogens of Lentil and Chickpea

Abstract

This thesis investigates molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity in Ascochyta lentis and A. rabiei, fungal pathogens causing Ascochyta blight disease in lentil and chickpea. Key achievements include developing boscalid resistance as a new selectable marker enabling advanced genetic studies, generating telomere-to-telomere genome assemblies revealing effector candidates, and discovering a putative avirulence gene in A. rabiei silenced by a transposable element. These findings advance understanding of host-pathogen interactions and provide targets for improved disease management strategies.