Plant pathology and entomology

Niab's plant pathology team delivers a wide range of research and services focused on the evaluation, improvement and deployment of host disease resistance, and works closely with universities, plant breeders, and plant science institutes.

Major programmes include resistance to rusts, Septoria and ergot in wheat, and to diverse pathogens of faba bean, common bean, and other legume crops. Another key area of our work is the monitoring and surveillance of pathogen populations for changes in virulence and fungicide resistance, combining genomic technologies as well as pathotyping to enhance understanding of host-pathogen interactions and improve disease forecasting.

New initiatives investigating disease and pest management are under development, reflecting rising pressures in arable crops. The team also develops advanced pathogen diagnostic tools for future commercial use and provides specialist services to industry and agrochemical partners for product testing and development.

Additional resources, including research updates and information posters, are available via our Knowledge Hub.