This book describes how genomics has revolutionized our understanding of agriculturally important plant-associated fungi and oomycetes. It illustrates some fundamental discoveries about these eukaryotic microbes with regard to the overall structure of their genomes, their lifestyles and the molecular mechanisms that form the basis of their interactions with plants. Genomics has provided new insights into fungal lifestyles and led to practical advances in plant breeding and crop protection, such as predictions about the spread and evolution of new pathogens.

This volume focuses on fungi and oomycetes that are typical dicot plant pathogens and includes:Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Botrytiscinerea, Alternaria sp.,Verticillium alfalfae andVerticillium dahliae,Fusarium oxysporum, Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora sojae,Phytophthora ramorum,Phytophthora infestans,Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis.

Genomics ofSclerotinia sclerotiorum.-The Genome ofBotrytiscinerea, a ubiquitous broad host range necrotroph.- Alternaria Comparative Genomics: The Secret Life of Rots.-Verticillium alfalfae andV. dahliae, agents of Verticillium wilt diseases.-Fusarium oxysporum.-Illuminating thePhytophthora capsici genome.- ThePhytophthora sojae genome sequence: foundation for a revolution.-Phytophthora ramorum.-Phytophthora infestans.-Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis: a model pathogen of Arabidopsis.