“…As such, they comprise a convenient system for analysis of dynamic cellular responses to pathogens and other environmental stimuli under controlled laboratory conditions (Goldberg et al, 1989; Guinel and McCully, 1986, 1987; Gochnauer et al, 1990). Cotton cultivars with altered border cell number can be used in future studies to determine whether such phenomena function in variable root–soil interface properties and in crop performance in the field (Unruh and Silvertooth, 1996a, b; Norton and Silvertooth, 1998). Of particular interest are observations of differential resistance to fungal pathogens including Verticillium and Fusarium (Bolek et al, 2005).…”