Beans' Defenses Mean Bacteria Get Evolutionary Helping Hand

Bean plants' natural defences against **bacterial infections** could be unwittingly driving the evolution of more highly pathogenic bacteria, according to new research published September 10 in Current Biology. The scientists from Imperial College London and the University of the West of England (UWE) focused on a bacterial pathogen called Pseudamonas syringae, which causes a disease called halo blight in bean plants. Symptoms include brown spots on the leaves, surrounded by a yellow halo. The disease can cause bean plants to lose their leaves, wilt and die, and is a serious problem for farmers worldwide. More "3.imperial.ac.uk":[ http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_11-9-2009-11-26-21?newsid=73061]

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