Abstract
The development of novel strategies of plant disease management is crucial in view of the growing demand of sustainability in agri-food chains. The use of agrochemicals is not without risk for the consumer and environment in terms of their residues in food, feed, water bodies and harmful effects on nontarget organisms. However, because of the high global annual yield losses attributable to plant diseases and also due to global climate changes that have exacerbated some phytosanitary emergences, chemical input in agriculture is mandatory. In this complex scenario, the use of agrochemicals that boost the plant immune system represents a relatively novel approach in crop protection. These plant protection products are not antimicrobial or fungicidal agents, but include both natural and synthetic elicitors and plant activators that only target the host immune system, with no biocide mechanism of action. In general, these products present a number of strengths: they leave no residue and should not select resistant pathogen strains, they can be used to control virus diseases, and can increase the levels of bioactive phytochemicals in plant foods.
Highlights
The development of novel strategies of plant disease management is crucial in view of the growing demand of sustainability in agri-food chains
These measures are complementary to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which declares a high level of consumer protection needs to be ensured, with provisions relating to maximum levels of pesticide residues in food and feed of plant and animal origin
Effector proteins encoded by avirulence genes and secreted by pathogens into host cells trigger ETI, which are in turn recognized by intracellular nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat (NLR)-type receptors encoded by resistance (R) genes
Summary
Effector proteins encoded by avirulence (avr) genes and secreted by pathogens into host cells trigger ETI, which are in turn recognized by intracellular nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat (NLR)-type receptors encoded by resistance (R) genes This phenomenon was formerly described in the gene-for-gene model typical of race-specific resistance of incompatible interactions. Downstream to recognition, common plant defense reactions include oxidative and nitrosative burst (i.e., reactive oxygen and nitrogen species production) and the hypersensitive response (a form of programmed cell death) at the attempted penetration site In addition to these local and transient immune responses at the infection site, plants can activate systemic acquired resistance (SAR), a long lasting, broad-spectrum and nonspecific immunity in uninfected tissues that potentiates the host resistance to subsequent pathogen attacks. The use of these products in crop protection is revolutionary: they are not antimicrobial agents as they are based on a non-biocide mechanism of action that only target the plant host immune system
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