Know all about Plant-Pathogen Interaction

When an insect or microbe attacks a plant it triggers a chain of reactions leading to the production of some compounds that can act against the invading organisms. This process is called elicitation and the compounds produced in responds to the insect or microbial attack are called phytoalexins.

Studies on plant-pathogen interactions are very important to understand the molecular mechanism of insect resistance or disease resistance in plants so that adequate precautions can be taken to prevent crop loss in agriculture. It was observed that plants can synthesize certain polypeptides in response to a microbial attack as was demonstrated in the case of the tobacco plant when attacked with the tobacco mosaic virus. These proteins are called pathogen-related proteins or PR proteins.

In addition to the formation of PR proteins, an array of other defense-related responses such as production of enzymes responsible for the expression of genes related to the phytoalexins synthesis, wall-bound phenolics, hydrolyzing enzymes, and hydroxy-proline rich glycoproteins were detected.

These metabolites were synthesized and accumulated around the site of infection for preventing the entry of the invading organism. These information will help in devising strategies, including genetic engineering, to protect crop plants from disease and attack of insects, thus to reduce the crop loss.

Tags: Bio Technology, Bio Genetics, Immune System

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