The gene-for-gene concept has historically been applied to describe a specific resistance interaction wherein single genes from the host and the pathogen dictate the outcome. These interactions have been observed across the plant kingdom and all known plant microbial pathogens. In recent years, this concept has been extended to susceptibility phenotypes in the context of transcription activator-like (TAL) effectors that target SWEET sugar transporters.

Credible empirical evidence is scanty on the social implications of genetically modified (GM) crops in Africa, especially on vegetatively propagated crops. Little is known about the future success of introducing GM technologies into staple crops such as bananas, which are widely produced and consumed in the Great Lakes Region of Africa (GLA). GM banana has a potential to control the destructive banana Xanthomonas wilt disease.

Rice bacterial leaf blight (BB) disease caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is a serious constraint to rice production in Asia and Africa. The japonica advanced backcross breeding lines derived from the indica line IR65482-7-216-1-2 in the background of cultivar Junam are resistant to all Korean BB races, including K3a. To identify the gene(s) involved in resistance to Korean Xoo races, the association of genotypic and phenotypic variations was examined in two F₂ populations derived from the crosses between 11325 (IR83261-3-7-23-6-2-1-1-2-1-2)/Anmi and 11325/Ilpum.

Convergence has strong bearing on the fundamental debate about whether evolution is stochastic and unpredictable or subject to constraints. Here we show that, in certain circumstances, evolution can be highly predictable. We demonstrate that several lineages of insects, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals have utilized the same molecular solution, via the process of convergence, to evolve resistance to toxic cardiac glycosides produced defensively by plants and bufonid toads.

Iron toxicity is a major nutrient disorder affecting rice. Therefore, understanding the genetic and physiological mechanisms associated with iron toxicity tolerance is crucial in adaptive breeding and biofortification. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) by exposing a population of 329 accessions representing all subgroups of rice to ferrous iron stress (1000 ppm, 5 days).

The maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) caused by synergistic interaction of Maize chlorotic mottle virus and Sugarcane mosaic virus, and has emerged as a serious threat to maize production in eastern Africa since 2011. Our objective was to gain insights into the genetic architecture underlying the resistance to MLND by genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic selection.

Heterosis, the better performance of hybrids over their parents, holds great economic and biological significance. Different theories have been proposed, but specific examples with detailed dissection are limited. If close linkage of alleles with opposite effects exists, the superiority of hybrids over inbreds is observed and may appear as overdominance at a single locus.

Accumulating data have suggested that small RNAs (sRNAs) have important functions in plant responses to pathogen invasion. However, it is largely unknown whether and how sRNAs are involved in the regulation of rice responses to the invasion of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), which causes bacterial blight, the most devastating bacterial disease of rice worldwide.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) play a critical role in plant growth, development and stress response; however, genetic evidence for the BR-mediated integrated regulation of plant growth still remains elusive in crop species. Here, we clarified the function of DWARF (DWF), the key BR biosynthetic gene in tomato, in the regulation of plant growth and architecture, phytohormone homeostasis and fruit development by comparing wild type

Bacterial transglutaminases are increasingly required as industrial reagents for in vitro modification of proteins in different fields such as in food processing as well as for enzymatic site-specific covalent conjugation of therapeutic proteins to polyethylene glycol to get derivatives with improved clinical performances.