Role of crop genetic diversity on pathogen impact: The tale of two pathogens

Introductory genetics courses are part of the core curriculum in many different fields, including plant breeding, animal science, biology, microbiology, and natural resource management. Concepts involving genes, inheritance, evolution, and genome editing are foundational to both modern biology and agriculture. Understanding these concepts is not only important for training scientists but also for citizens who will make personal health and consumer decisions. For this learning to happen, however, we need to use evidence-based education practices to bring our teaching of the biological and agricultural sciences into the 21st century. This case study uses historical plant pathogen epidemics, such as the Irish potato famine, to guide student learning about how genes are passed from one generation to the next, the advantages and disadvantages of different farming strategies, and how the interactions between a disease-causing organism, its host, and the environment lead to epidemics. In learning about plant disease outbreaks, students also learn basic genetics and crop breeding concepts. This case study also provides teachers with instructions on how to evaluate host, microbe, and environmental data with the students and also guides student groups as they design and discuss plans to optimize yield while minimizing the risk of crop loss due to disease.