The ‘Host, Pathogen and Environment’ team is focusing on the ‘disease triangle’: host susceptibility, the pathogen and the right environment for disease expression.
They are investigating the role environmental factors play on kauri dieback and myrtle rust disease expression and severity, as well as researching the pathogen genomes.
The knowledge they gain will contribute to improving surveillance, control, management and conservation efforts, and they hope to discover new ways to mediate these diseases.
Click ‘play’ to view what they’ve been up to in the first three years of the programme. This programme is funded by Ngā Rākau Taketake, which is administered by New Zealand’s Biological Heritage National Science Challenge | Ngā Koiora Tuku Iho.