Today, breeding strong, natural resistance into lettuces is still the most economical and eco-friendly way to defend vulnerable leafy greens from attack by microbial menaces. That’s according to horticulturist James D. McCreight, who directs a team of ARS specialists investigating diseases of lettuce - among other veggies - and fruits. These scientists are intent on discovering - in the world’s wild and domesticated lettuces - new and prized genes that can be moved into cultivated lettuces to boost their resistance.