Using an untargeted metabolomics approach, Michelle Moffitt and team from the University of Western Sydney identified a unique molecular fingerprint in A. psidii infected Melaleuca quinquenervia leaves during the early stages of infection. Further analysis of the metabolome at 24 hours and 48 hours after infection identified a unique subset of 19 metabolites that are unique to the resistant phenotype which may be important in the resistance mechanism and could be used as a defined metabolite fingerprint to detect the resistant phenotype during early infection. Future work could further characterise the genes and molecules identified in this study to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of host resistance and A. psidii pathogenesis. Read more about the project here or view the journal publication here.
