Molecular Interactions Between Leptosphaeria maculans and Brassica Species

Canola is an important oilseed crop, providing food, feed, and fuel around the world. However, blackleg disease, caused by the ascomycete Leptosphaeria maculans, causes significant yield losses annually. With the recent advances in genomic technologies, the understanding of the Brassica napus–L. maculans interaction has rapidly increased, with numerous Avr and R genes cloned, setting this system up as a model organism for studying plant–pathogen associations. Although the B. napus–L. maculans interaction follows Flor's gene-for-gene hypothesis for qualitative resistance, it also puts some unique spins on the interaction. This review discusses the current status of the host–pathogen interaction and highlights some of the future gaps that need addressing moving forward.