The Top 10 oomycete pathogens in molecular plant pathology

Oomycetes form a deep lineage of eukaryotic organisms thatincludes a large number of plant pathogens which threatennatural and managed ecosystems.We undertook a survey to querythe community for their ranking of plant-pathogenic oomycetespecies based on scientific and economic importance. In total, wereceived 263 votes from 62 scientists in 15 countries for a totalof 33 species. The Top 10 species and their ranking are: (1)Phytophthora infestans; (2, tied) Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis;(2, tied) Phytophthora ramorum; (4) Phytophthora sojae; (5)Phytophthora capsici; (6) Plasmopara viticola; (7) Phytophthoracinnamomi; (8, tied) Phytophthora parasitica; (8, tied) Pythium; and (10) Albugo candida. This article provides an introduction to these 10 taxa and a snapshot of current research. We hope that the list will serve as a benchmark for future trends in oomycete research.