Under pressure: Investigating the biology of plant infection by Magnaporthe oryzae

Richard A. Wilson, Nicholas J. Talbot

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

828 Scopus citations

Abstract

The filamentous fungus Magnaporthe oryzae causes rice blast, the most serious disease of cultivated rice. Cellular differentiation of M. oryzae forms an infection structure called the appressorium, which generates enormous cellular turgor that is sufficient to rupture the plant cuticle. Here, we show how functional genomics approaches are providing new insight into the genetic control of plant infection by M. oryzae. We also look ahead to the key questions that need to be addressed to provide a better understanding of the molecular processes that lead to plant disease and the prospects for sustainable control of rice blast.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)185-195
Number of pages11
JournalNature Reviews Microbiology
Volume7
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • General Immunology and Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Under pressure: Investigating the biology of plant infection by Magnaporthe oryzae'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this