Title:Mechanisms of Plant Defense Under Pathogen Stress: A Review
Volume: 22
Issue: 5
Author(s): Monika Sood, Dhriti Kapoor, Vipul Kumar, Namarta Kalia, Renu Bhardwaj, Gagan Preet Singh Sidhu and Anket Sharma*
Affiliation:
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A and F University, Hangzhou, 311300,China
Keywords:
Biotic stress, pathogenesis, stress response, plant immune system, defense metabolites.
Abstract: Being sessile organisms, plants are persistently confronted by a diverse array of biotic
agents, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, herbivores, and nematodes. Understanding the mechanism
of host-pathogen interactions is essential for improving plant resistance against these biotic
factors. In this review, we have discussed various means and mechanisms by which pathogens influence
the host plant defense. A virulent pathogen can reduce the growth and development of a
plant, which eventually lowers its yield by multiple processes, like enhancement in cell death, as
well as modification of plant architecture. This review also explains the various strategies used by
plants to control pathogen-caused diseases. These mainly include either resistance or tolerance by
activating cell signaling pathways, which further regulate the synthesis and accumulation of several
cellular products, such as phytohormones, enzymes, proteins, and secondary metabolites. To minimize
the influence of infection on their vigor, plants also exhibit immunity regardless of the
amount of pathogen multiplication. The current review provides an important insight into the mechanisms
of host-pathogen interaction, which is very significant for efficient disease management.