PARTNERS IN CRIME: PATHOBIOME OF FUSARIUM COTTON WILT PATHOGEN

The primary objective of this project is to decode the pathobionts responsible for Fusarium wilt disease in cotton, caused by the fungal species Fusarium oxysporum. This disease is a significant threat to various crops, and different nominal strains or forma speciales can cause wilt disease in cotton. Among these strains, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum Race 4 (Fov4) causes devastating damage to Pima and upland cotton plants. The focus of this study is to examine the hyphosphere pathobiome of this pathogen. Initially, we will analyze the core pathobiome of different Fov4 isolates to identify any possible variations within them. Subsequently, we will investigate the functional roles of the hyphosphere pathobionts to attain our objectives.