Structure/function studies of a plant pathogen effector in complex with a host disease resistance protein domain reveal the molecular basis for recognition and underpin future engineering of immunity in crops.

Analysis of epigenetic recombinant inbred lines of Arabidopsis identified four hypomethylated DNA loci controlling quantitative disease resistance, which is associated with genome-wide priming of defence genes without affecting plant growth.

Chemical modifications of steroidal glycoalkaloids of potato can cause strong resistance against the necrotrophic early blight fungus as well as the Colorado potato beetle.

Plant autophagy contributes to antiviral defense against geminiviruses by targeting one or more viral proteins for degradation.

Genetic and biochemical analyses reveal a virulence mechanism employed by V. dahliae that involves inhibition of the transcription factor activity of CBP60g and SARD1.

Specialized fungal pathogen populations infect rice varieties with contrasting immune systems co-cultivated in a traditional agro-system, indicating the relevance of crop diversity to restricting epidemics in the landscape.

Effector target-guided engineering has developed plant NLR immune receptors that bind and recognize stealthy pathogen effector proteins, demonstrating new disease resistance profiles in planta, and offering a promising approach to protect crops against plant pathogens.

The cooperative antiviral activity of two distinct AGO proteins could be exploited to provide a new strategy for controlling viral diseases in rice.

Structure-led protein engineering can expand the effector recognition profile of plant intracellular NLR immune receptors, providing a proof-of-principle for the development of novel disease resistance mechanisms in plants.

Arabidopsis lines were screened for resistance to TuMV, identifying a region on chromosome 2 linked to necrosis that includes an antiviral gene.