Skip Navigation
Menu

Dr. Faith C. Belanger

Associate Professor
Dr. Faith C. Belanger.

Dr. Faith C. Belanger
Department of Plant Biology
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
59 Dudley Road,
Foran Hall Room 304

New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520
848-932-6389
belanger@sebs.rutgers.edu

Short CV (PDF) Research Gate

Biography

My lab is focused on better understanding of the relationship of the Epichloë fungal endophytes with their grass hosts. Many cultivated and wild grass species are hosts to fungal endophytes. These associations are ecologically and agronomically significant, yet little is known regarding the physiological aspects of the interaction. In many instances the endophyte-grass association is strictly mutualistic, with the plant supplying nutrients to the fungus, and the fungus conferring benefits to the plant. One of these benefits is reduced herbivory by insects and animals due to the production of toxic alkaloids. Several grass species used for turf are naturally infected with endophytes, which is desirable due to the insect resistance they confer. Despite the commercial importance of the fungal endophytes, much remains to be learned about how they interact with their grass hosts. We are currently focused on analysis of fungal proteins expressed in the interaction.

Title and Address

Associate Professor
Department of Plant Biology
School of Environmental and Biological Sciences,
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Primary focus Area: Plant Protection