WCPP 2019 session chair John Yoder is professor of Plant Biology at UC Davis. He investigates molecular genetic mechanisms governing plant-plant interactions. He is specifically interested in understanding how molecules released by the roots of some plants effect the growth and development of nearby plants and intends to translate these findings into developing crops that are “self-weeding”. Probably the most robust model for investigating chemical signaling between plants are parasitic plants in the Orobanchaceae because these root parasites use molecules released into the rhizosphere by host roots as chemical cues to initiate the development of invasive haustoria. Haustorium development can be monitored in vitro by adding host-derived chemicals to aseptically grown parasite seedlings and visualizing haustorium development under a dissecting microscope within hours of treatment. His lab uses a combination of genomics, biochemistry, and plant biology approaches to identify bioactive molecules in host root exudates, learn how their release into the rhizosphere is regulated, and understand how the parasite recognizes and responds to molecular signals from other plants.