Posts Tagged: immunity
COVID-19 Virtual Seminar: Distinguished Professor James R. Carey Explains 'Herd Immunity'
How soon can we, as a nation, acquire herd immunity or immune protection to COVD-19? “Herd...
UC Davis distinguished professor James R. Carey delivered a presentation on "Actuarial Perspectives on the COVID-19 Pandemic" for the UC Davis-based COVID-19 virtual symposium.
Gary Felton Seminar: How Plants Turn on Their Anti-Herbivore Defenses
How do plants defend themselves from herbivores and turn on their defenses? Professor Gary Felton,...
The adult moth, Helicoverpa zea. (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)
Some Genetic Resistance/Tolerance to HLB
Ed Stover and crew at USDA, Fort Pierce in Florida have been studying the response of different scions and rootstocks that have been inoculated with the HLB bacteria. As reported in the Proceedings of the International Citrus Conference (http://www.icc2016.com/images/icc2016/downloads/Abstract_Book_ICC_2016.pdf), they have found some scion/rootstock combinations more tolerant or less susceptible to the disease six years after they have been inoculated. It turns out scions with a citron pedigree have more resistance. Also those with a Poncirus (trifoliate) background also had lower populations of the bacterium.
What this means is that there is resistance and possible immunity out there and there is breeding/genetic engineering material out there that can be used to improve the whole of the citrus family to HLB. Of course, this will take time, but there is hope.
Photos:
HLB symptoms and trifoliate leaves
HLB symptoms
trifoliate
Forager Bees ‘Turn On’ Gene Expression to Protect Themselves from Microrganisms, Toxins
DAVIS--When honey bees shift from nurse bees to foragers, or from caring for the brood to foraging...
A varroa mile clings to a forager (worker bee) as the bee nectars on lavender. (Photos by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
We All Have It: Innate Immunity
What do flies have in common with us? For one thing, an innate immune system mechanism to detect...
Immune system of the tiny Drosophila plays a big role in host defense. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)