Investigating the Molecular Defense Tactics of Plants
Plants deploy an arsenal of chemical strategies to survive in their environments. Dangers are aplenty, and not just from hungry herbivores. Bacteria, fungi and viruses pose threats too, though the battle against these invaders occurs at the molecular level.
In a study appearing in Cell Host & Microbe, UC Davis graduate student Neeraj Lal, Professors Savithramma Dinesh-Kumar and Andrew J. Fisher and their colleagues reveal the versatility of plants’ molecular infantry. The findings provide a strategic map revealing how plants allocate resources and have the potential to help bolster crop immune systems and improve their development and growth.