University of Georgia researchers separate plant growth and disease resistance

UGA researchers have discovered a way to increase disease resistance in plants without sacrificing growth, a discovery that could revolutionize crop productivity and sustainability in the face of climate change.

University of Georgia researchers have identified a promising approach to addressing a long-standing challenge for plant geneticists: balancing disease resistance and plant growth.

The discovery could help protect plants from disease in the future, while promoting greater biomass production to support sustainable food supplies for both humans and animals, biofuel and timber production, and more, according to the study. new study.

“Combating pathogens has been a top challenge in agriculture,” said CJ Tsai, corresponding author of the study and professor at UGA. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. “Solutions that balance disease resistance and growth are sorely needed, especially with ever-increasing disease pressure from climate change.”

New technology can allow farmers to keep plants safe from pests without compromising growth

This discovery could have significant implications for crop productivity.

Salicylic acid is a well-known plant hormone that plays a vital role in increasing disease resistance and tolerance to stressors such as extreme temperatures. Salicylic acid-based strategies have long been known to enhance resistance to pests and pathogens, but practical applications have been hindered by reduced yield.

This study provides a method to separate growth suppression from the defense response, opening the door to the use of both salicylic acid and cold-regulated genes in agriculture without compromising crop success.

The team is already expanding their research by testing the approach on other crops such as alfalfa, “the queen of fodder.” The researchers will test the plant’s ability to grow with limited water and nutrient inputs. If successful, the technology promises to generate climate-resilient crops.

This work, published in Plant Cell, was supported in part by the Georgia Research Alliance, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The paper’s co-authors include María Ortega, Rhodesia Celoy, Francisco Chacon, Yinan Yuan, Liang-Jiao Xue, Saurabh Pandey, MaKenzie Drowns and Brian Kvitko.