Gene-for-Gene Interactions in Rust Fungi Gene-for-Gene Interactions in Rust Fungi The study of gene-for-gene interactions uncovers genetic components, evolutionary impacts, and ecological/economic implications between rust fungi and plants. Rust fungi utilize the gene-for-gene interaction to invade host plants. Conversely, host plants utilize the gene-for-gene interaction to prevent invasion of rust fungi. Gene-for-gene interactions between plants and rust fungi are helping us further understand the ecology and evolution of plant-microbe interactions, specifically pathogenicity. There are implications of gene-for-gene interactions for fitness in real world populations. Co-evolution due to gene-for-gene interactions can help us understand evolutionary advantages and disadvantages. Co-evolution can help understand how the host-pathogen interactions
Mimicry in plants of signals. Cryptic mimicry in plants is usually achieved visually. The South American "Boquila trifoliata", of the Lardizabalaceae family, is a climbing vine with a highly variable phenotype. It is capable of mimicking the leaf features of plant species that it clings to, adopting color shape and size. By camouflaging its leafy appendages, "Boquila" lowers its rate of herbivory. Mimicry in plants In evolutionary biology, mimicry in plants is where a plant organism evolves to resemble another organism physically or chemically, increasing the mimic's Darwinian fitness. Mimicry in plants has been studied far less than mimicry in animals, with fewer