Fusarium fujikuroi Pathogen Interactions in Rice Systems
Summary
Fusarium fujikuroi, the causal agent of bakanae or foolish seedling disease, represents a critical threat to rice cultivation worldwide. This soil- and seedborne fungus invades young seedlings, producing gibberellins that induce abnormal elongation, chlorosis and eventual seedling death. The infection process involves secretion of a diverse array of cell-wall-degrading enzymes and secondary metabolites, which facilitate host colonisation and suppress defence responses. Rice plants counteract invasion through both basal and induced mechanisms, including synthesis of pathogenesis-related proteins, reinforcement of cell walls via lignin deposition and activation of jasmonic acid-mediated signalling pathways. Genetic studies have revealed multiple quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring partial resistance, often associated with receptor-like proteins that recognise fungal elicitors. Understanding the interplay between fungal virulence factors and host immunity has underpinned advances in breeding resistant varieties and integrated disease management strategies, with profound implications for global food security.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Fusarium fujikuroi Pathogen Interactions in Rice Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in fusarium fujikuroi pathogen interactions in rice systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bakanae disease: A rice seedborne disease caused by Fusarium fujikuroi, characterised by elongated, chlorotic seedlings leading to reduced yield.
Quantitative trait locus (QTL): A chromosomal region harbouring genetic variation that contributes to the quantitative inheritance of a trait, such as disease resistance.
Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) receptor-like protein: A plant cell-surface receptor with repeating leucine-rich motifs that recognises pathogen molecules and activates immunity.
Pathotype: A subgroup of a pathogen species defined by its specific pattern of virulence on a set of host genotypes.
Marker-assisted selection (MAS): A breeding technique that uses DNA markers linked to desirable traits to accelerate the development of improved cultivars.
Transcriptome: The complete set of RNA transcripts produced by an organism under specific conditions, reflecting gene expression patterns.
References
- Map-Based Cloning and Characterization of a Major QTL Gene, FfR1, Which Confers Resistance to Rice Bakanae Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
- Fine mapping of qBK1.2, a major QTL governing resistance to bakanae disease in rice. Frontiers in Plant Science (2023).
- Identification and Characterization of Fusarium fujikuroi Pathotypes Responsible for an Emerging Bakanae Disease of Rice in India. Plants (2023).
- Whole Genome Sequencing of Fusarium fujikuroi Provides Insight into the Role of Secretory Proteins and Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes in Causing Bakanae Disease of Rice. Frontiers in Plant Science (2017).
- Transcriptome Analysis of Early Defenses in Rice against Fusarium fujikuroi. Rice (2020).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.