HYDERABAD: New insights into how plants defend themselves against disease-causing pathogens could help scientists develop crops with stronger and longer-lasting resistance, according to three studies published in the journal Science Advances.
The research, which involved a researcher from the University of Hyderabad (UoH), sheds light on the constant battle between plants and pathogens, a process that has major implications for food security and agricultural productivity worldwide.
One of the studies examined how a plant immune receptor known as NRC2 helps trigger defence responses when a pathogen attacks. Researchers found that the receptor assembles into a six-part complex after detecting a threat, acting as a molecular switch that activates the plant’s immune system.
The other two studies focused on Phytophthora infestans, the pathogen responsible for potato late blight, the disease linked to the Irish Potato Famine. The researchers uncovered how a pathogen protein called AVRcap1b suppresses plant immunity by targeting key cellular components and disabling important defence mechanisms.
Scientists say these findings improve understanding of how pathogens evade plant defences and could support efforts to engineer crops that are better protected against destructive diseases.
The studies were co-authored by Dr J. Madhuprakash, assistant professor in the department of plant sciences at UoH, during a study leave at The Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, United Kingdom. He worked with an international team led by plant biologist Prof. Sophien Kamoun, a leading researcher in plant-pathogen interactions.
“These studies provide important insights into how plants recognise invading pathogens and how pathogens attempt to overcome those defences,” Dr Madhuprakash said. “Such knowledge is essential for developing durable disease resistance in crops.”
Following his return to Hyderabad, Dr Madhuprakash has launched a new research programme on plant immune receptor biology at UoH.
He said the experience at the Sainsbury Laboratory would help strengthen advanced research on plant immunity and crop protection at the university. Researchers believe the findings could contribute to future strategies aimed at reducing crop losses and improving agricultural resilience against plant diseases.
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