Early detection of a pathogen attack can prevent the spread of an infection. But how this early detection is then translated into warning for the rest of the plant is not known. Now British researchers show in Nature Plants using a reporter system that the alarm passes through the plant much faster than first thought.
Tag Archives: Plant defence
Using the pathogens tricks to gain resistance
Plants and pathogens are involved in a tug of war. A lot of that fight takes place in the extracellular space, the space between cells, in plant tissues. There plants secrete an arsenal of defence molecules, like proteases, glycosidases and lipases. Pathogens do this as well including some inhibitors. So how come those inhibitors don’t inhibit the pathogen’s own arsenal?
Finding an entry point
Plants are pretty good at halting entrance to unwanted pathogens. Pathogens do, however, still find a way in. The authors of a new study set out to find out how the fire blight bacteria finds its way in.
A less penetrable skin
Sap-sucking insects like white flies and aphids are a disaster for plants. Not so much for their sap sucking but for giving plants bacteria and viruses. As such plant like to make it difficult for those insects. For example, by having a sturdier wax layer, like Chinese researchers found in a new study.
Plant en Zo 