Texas A&M AgriLife scientists found that fungi induce two substances in corn that boost immunity, making a stronger crop.
Plants can’t self-isolate during a disease outbreak, but they can get help from a friend — beneficial soil microbes help plants ward off a wide range of diseases. Now, Texas A&M Univeristy AgriLife scientists have uncovered a major part of the process in which beneficial fungi help corn plants defend against pathogens. The results appeared in The Plant Cell in January. Leading the study was Michael Kolomiets, professor of plant pathology and microbiology at Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Funding was provided by the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
Overall, the results shed light on a mysterious aspect of plant immunity and enable future research toward more productive cereal crops.
Careful plant selection and breeding have vastly improved crops around the world, leading to higher yields, hardiness and disease resistance. But these days, the productivity of crops can’t be improved as much by genetic selection alone, Kolomiets said.
“What currently is believed to be the very important next strategy — we call it the ‘brown revolution,’” he said. “We can get help from beneficial microorganisms residing in the soil.”
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