Epidemiology, Pathogenicity and Management Strategies of Plasmodiophora brassicae Second Version

Dear Colleagues,

Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin, a soil-borne and obligate biotroph pathogen, is the causal agent of the clubroot disease of Brassica species worldwide. Once P. brassicae becomes established in a field, it rapidly builds up resting spores inside the roots of susceptible crops, and these can remain in the soil for more than 15 years. The disease has currently gained prominence as a major problem in most countries because of acid soils, short rotation time with brassica crops, the lack of effective cultural and/or fungicide control, poor drainage, above-average precipitation and/or humidity during early plant growth stages, and the lack of effective sources of genetic resistance. To date, control measures are limited and, in most cases, ineffective. Therefore, the use of resistant cultivars is the most efficient and practical way of controlling clubroot. However, the resistance can be overcome because of the high pathogenic variability of P. brassicae populations.

For this Special Issue of Pathogens, we invite you to submit a review or original research article covering any and all aspects of the knowledge about Plasmodiophora brassicae. These include molecular and epidemiological features, virulence factors, pathogen–host interactions, plant resistance strategies, integrated disease management, biological controls, and climate change. 

We look forward to your contribution. 

Dr. Nazanin Zamani-Noor
Dr. Ann-Charlotte Wallenhammar
Prof. Dr. Malgorzata Jedryczka
Guest Editors

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