ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we review the genetics and genomics of resistance against some of the major diseases of Brassica oilseeds caused mainly by aerial and root fungal pathogens, except for clubroot that is caused by a soil-borne protist. The economical importance of each disease varies according to countries, with some diseases that are more damaging on winter oilseed crops in Europe (Verticillium wilt, light leaf spot) while others are more damaging in the Indian subcontinent (blackspot) or on spring oilseeds (white rust, downy mildew) or are widespread (clubroot, phoma stem canker, Sclerotinia). Increased research on all these diseases provides results on the genetics of the resistance in relation to the variability of the pathogens and, through histological studies or more recently through functional studies based on transcriptome or proteome analyses, on the mechanisms underlying the resistance. The use of the model species, Arabidopsis thaliana, is largely adopted and can help structural as well as functional investigations.
