Genome dynamics and virulence factors in Fusarium wilt pathogens of banana

Samenvatting (Engelstalig)

Banana, the number one produced fruit in the world, is one of many crops suffering from plant diseases. Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB) is a severe threat to global banana production and is caused by fungi belonging to the Fusarium oxysporum species complex. Specifically the lineage called Tropical Race 4 (TR4) is devastating for its ability to infect Cavendish bananas, the major export cultivar. As part of my PhD research I have investigated various genetic factors and their dynamics within this fungus and assessed their contribution to infection of banana. As part of the findings we discover that one of the fungal chromosomes is highly dynamic and plays a major role during the infection of banana plants. Moreover, we found a transposable element that is strongly affecting the genetic composition of the fungus. These findings are of importance in a better understanding of this major banana pathogen.