A Blast Lesion Mimic Mutant of Rice

Abstract

Plant reacts to pathogen attack by activating multiple defense mechanisms as a result from the interaction of resistance gene in the plant and a corresponding avirulence gene in the pathogen. Interaction of the resistance and avirulence genes would stimulate a signalling cascade leading to the activation of defense mechanisms; hypersensitive response (HR), production of reactive oxygen species, cell wall fortification, accumulation of salicylic acid and phytoalexin, and induction of PR genes (reviewed in Bent, 1996; Hammond-Kosack and Jones, 1996).