Broad-spectrum resistance to bacterial diseases in rice

Ricardo Oliva.

** International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Philippines. 

r.oliva@irri.org

Abstract

The recurrent emergence of highly aggressive clones of plant pathogens in agricultural ecosystems represents an important threat to food security. Bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), is the most important bacterial disease of rice. The pathogen uses a suite of genes known as transcription-activator like effectors (TALe) to specifically induce host genes essential for pathogen’s proliferation and disease progression. At field level, Xoo is usually composed of a number of populations, which show variation of pathogenicity genes and usually have specific interactions with resistance factors in the host plant. In that scenario, acquiring broad-spectrum resistance will require a deep understanding of the pathosystem. We will discuss our current progress on disease control strategies using a battery of tools that will allows us to manage the disease in the near future.  

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Keywords: Race, Pathogenomics, Bacterial blight, Rice, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.