Blast disease, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is a veritable plague in agriculture. In addition to devastating rice crops—the staple food of 60% of the world's population—it began attacking wheat in the 1980s, across a growing area of distribution and with a serious risk of emergence in Europe.
Food security: Researchers discover gene for resistance against a disease that ravages rice and wheat cropsThe microscopic fungus Magnaporthe oryzae causes blast disease in rice and other cereal crops. Necrotic lesions form on the aerial parts such as the stalks or leaves . Disease resistance genes, such as Ptr, protect rice against blast disease by preventing the fungus from infecting it .
In this context, researchers from INRAE, CIRAD and the Université de Montpellier, together with scientists from China and the Philippines, analyzed theto blast found in rice. They identified Ptr, a new type of disease resistance gene in plants. The presence of this Ptr gene makes rice immune to strains of M. oryzae that secrete AVR-Pita virulence factor, a protein that, in the absence of this gene, helps the pathogenic fungus invade the plant.
Ptr, however, codes for a new type of protein, not previously known to be active in plant immune systems. Scientists do not yet understand how this protein works. Unexpectedly, this research invalidates previous reference studies, published in 2000, that reported that another gene named Pi-ta and coding for a conventional type of immune receptor was responsible for AVR-Pita detection.
Physics News Science News Technology News Physics Materials Nanotech Technology Science
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
DDT chemicals making way into deep-sea food web, alarming researchersMarine life off the Los Angeles coast may still be impacted by the effects of a long-disused DDT dumping site, a report from UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography and San Diego State University researchers found Monday.
Read more »
DDT chemicals making way into deep-sea food web, alarming researchersCity News Service is one of the largest regional news services in the country, serving the Southern California region.
Read more »
DDT chemicals making way into deep-sea food web, alarming researchersMarine life off the Los Angeles coast may still be impacted by the effects of a long-disused DDT dumping site, a report from UC San Diego's Scripps Institution…
Read more »
There is an urgent need for democratizing knowledge to revolutionize global food systems, researchers argueIn an article published today in Nature Food, a team of international experts delves into the urgent need for democratizing knowledge to revolutionize global food systems.
Read more »
Food Forward brings fresh surplus produce to people experiencing food insecurityFood Forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people experiencing food insecurity, and inspiring others to do the same.
Read more »
Food bank offers tailored food boxes for people in need with chronic illnessFood Bank of the Rockies' Food for Health program delivers healthy food boxes to people with chronic health conditions who are facing food insecurity.
Read more »