The Plant Protection Unit conducts research to minimize crop losses due to insects and pathogens. As forage and pasture crops are often grown in extensive agriculture with limited use of control agents such as agricultural chemicals, we are working with focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation and modification of cultural practices.
Unit Leader
Motoo KOITABASHI
Research Topic: Plantpathology and biocontrol research
Unit Members
| Ikuko OKABE | Principal Researcher | Plantpathology |
| Koya SUGAWARA | Principal Researcher | Plantpathology, Microbiology, Plant symbiotic fungi |
| Nobuyo YOSHIDA | Senior Researcher | Pest management |
Research Publications
- Chen L, Li X, Li C, Swoboda GA, Young CA, Sugawara K, Leuchtmann A, Schardl CL (2015)Two distinct Epichloe species symbiotic with Achnatherum inebrians, drunken horse grass. Mycologia 107: 863-873
- Mitsuhashi S. Masunaka A, Kikawada T, Sugawara K, Tsukiboshi T, Tamaki H, Sato H (2015) Evaluation of resistance to Pythium root rot by Pythium arrhenomanes in corn by using a toothpick inoculation method. Grassland Science 61: 181-184
- Schard CL et al. (2013) Plant-symbiotic fungi as chemical engineers: Multi-genome analysis of the Clavicipitaceae reveals dynamics of alkaloid loci. PLOS Genetics http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1003323
