What's old and what's new in concepts of induced systemic resistance in plants, and its application

Abstract

2.7 Conclusions: Though resistance and susceptibility to pathogens are often specific and biochemicals determining this specificity have specific structures and receptors, nonspecific agents and multiple signals and pathways for their transduction can also induce resistance to unrelated pathogens and toxicants. This makes the possibility of finding additional effective agents for ISR and disease control highly promising. The agents need not be patented, expensive, or complex. Much more research is needed on the use of ISR agents to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides and enhance utilization of high-yielding plants that presently have a level of resistance that is inadequate for disease control under high pathogen pressure. ISR does not depend upon introducing genes into the plants, and it would not meet the resistance from the public engendered by genetically modified plants. ISR should be increasingly incorporated into integrated pest management practices. Increased funding and information exchange is needed to better utilize and direct the rapidly emerging information concerning signals, receptors, signal transduction, and gene expression for the practical control of plant disease.