Nutritional Interactions in Plant Disease Resistance
Summary
Plants require an array of mineral and organic nutrients not only for growth and reproduction but also to fortify defence against pathogens. Macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium underlie the synthesis of structural barriers, defensive proteins and signalling molecules, while micronutrients such as zinc and manganese act as cofactors for enzymes that detoxify reactive oxygen species or synthesise antimicrobial secondary metabolites. The availability and form of nutrients influence both host and pathogen: ample nitrogen may boost the production of defence‐related enzymes yet can also fuel pathogen virulence by supplying amino acids. Similarly, potassium contributes to cell wall reinforcement and the generation of phenolic compounds, whereas imbalances in phosphorus or excessive fertilisation can exacerbate disease susceptibility by disturbing hormonal crosstalk or altering root exudation patterns. At the rhizosphere interface, nutrient status shapes the assembly of microbial communities that can suppress pathogens or induce systemic acquired resistance in distant tissues. Emerging evidence emphasises the dynamic interplay between nutrient homeostasis, redox regulation and hormone signalling—particularly salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and ethylene pathways—in orchestrating local and systemic defence. A deeper understanding of these nutritional interactions promises to inform sustainable crop protection strategies that optimise fertiliser regimes and harness beneficial microbiomes to reduce disease losses.
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Nutritional Interactions in Plant Disease Resistance publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in nutritional interactions in plant disease resistance across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phytoalexins: Antimicrobial compounds synthesised by plants in response to pathogen attack.
Rhizosphere: The soil region immediately surrounding plant roots, where complex interactions with microbes occur.
Systemic acquired resistance (SAR): A whole‐plant defensive state triggered by local infection, leading to broad‐spectrum resistance.
Necrotroph: A pathogen that kills host tissue and feeds on the dead matter.
Biotroph: A pathogen that derives nutrients from living host cells without killing them.
References
- Plant mineral nutrition and disease resistance: A significant linkage for sustainable crop protection. Frontiers in Plant Science (2022).
- Transcriptome analysis reveals regulatory networks underlying differential susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea in response to nitrogen availability in Solanum lycopersicum. Frontiers in Plant Science (2015).
- Potassium-induced plant resistance against soybean cyst nematode via root exudation of phenolic acids and plant pathogen-related genes. PLOS ONE (2018).
- When the Medicine Feeds the Problem; Do Nitrogen Fertilisers and Pesticides Enhance the Nutritional Quality of Crops for Their Pests and Pathogens?. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems (2021).
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