Trigger found for defence to rice crop disease »

Biologists have discovered how the rice plant's immune system is triggered by disease, in a discovery that could boost crop yields and lead to more disease-resistant types of rice. Rice is central to the food security of more than half the world's population in many of the poorest countries. But bacterial leaf blight can destroy up to 80 per cent of a crop in some countries if it develops early. Researchers studying bacterial leaf blight have found that rice detects a molecule called RaxX secreted by the bacteria. "We've discovered a new molecule that's never been seen before," said Dr Benjamin Schwessinger, from The Australian National University (ANU). "We've realised that this type of molecule plays an important role in the immune response of rice plants. "It will now be much easier to develop containment strategies against the disease and breed more robust rice plants." The research could help the fight against similar diseases in other crops, and may even give insights into human health, as the chemistry is similar to that of HIV entering human cells.