Olive fungus genome sequenced, 53 Mb, 14k genes
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- The genome of Pseudocercospora cladosporioides was assembled at 53 Mb and contains more than 14,000 predicted genes, and the sequence has been made openly available to researchers.
- The collaboration between the University of Córdoba’s Agronomy and Genetics departments, supported by the Ramón y Cajal call and FPI contracts, enabled the precise isolation protocol needed for high‑quality DNA and RNA.
- The researchers overcame the difficulty of culturing the fungus outside its host by developing a new isolation method, which was essential for obtaining the high‑quality genetic material used in sequencing.
- The annotation identified 491 genes dedicated to degrading olive‑tree cell walls and 434 effector proteins that suppress the tree’s resistance mechanisms, shedding light on the pathogen’s attack strategy.
- The disease—Cercospora leaf spot—costs olive growers up to €50 million annually, with rising incidence linked to vulnerable varieties like “Frantoio” and reduced copper treatments.
- The breeding programs can now use the reference genome as a tool to develop olive varieties resistant to the pathogen and to improve surveillance and early detection of the disease.
Why it matters: Olive growers and breeders gain a concrete genetic tool to create resistant varieties, directly targeting the €50 million annual losses from leaf‑spot disease, while scientists obtain a reference for tracking pathogen evolution and improving early‑detection methods, facilitating more efficient surveillance across Mediterranean orchards.
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