Pathogen-Driven Resistance Mechanisms in Leguminous Crops

Leguminous crops such as chickpea, pea and lentil employ a multi-layered defence system to counteract pathogenic invasion. Initial recognition of conserved microbial features triggers pattern-triggered immunity (PTI), leading to reactive oxygen species generation, cell-wall fortification and phytohormone-mediated signalling. Successful pathogens deploy effectors to suppress PTI, but host plants may carry resistance (R) genes that detect these effectors and elicit effector-triggered immunity (ETI), often culminating in a hypersensitive response. Phytohormones including salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and ethylene orchestrate local and systemic acquired resistance. Structural barriers such as lignification and callose deposition further impede pathogen ingress. Advances in genomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics have revealed the genetic loci, biochemical pathways and secondary metabolites that underpin quantitative and qualitative resistance. Harnessing these insights is critical for breeding durable, broad-spectrum resistance and for the development of sustainable disease-management strategies in varied agroecological zones.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Genome sequencing of a major necrotrophic fungus provided a high-quality assembly and comprehensive secretome inventory, exposing a diverse array of carbohydrate-active enzymes and cysteine-rich secreted proteins that facilitate cell-wall degradation and host colonisation. This foundational dataset has identified candidate effectors and metabolic enzymes, offering targets for resistance gene discovery and enabling functional studies to dissect host–pathogen interplay.

Pathogen-Driven Resistance Mechanisms in Leguminous Crops publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in pathogen-driven resistance mechanisms in leguminous crops across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Effector proteins: Secreted molecules that modulate host processes to promote pathogen colonisation.

Carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes): Enzymes that degrade or remodel plant cell-wall polysaccharides during infection.

Pattern-triggered immunity (PTI): Basal defence activated by recognition of conserved microbial features at the cell surface.

Effector-triggered immunity (ETI): Amplified defence response initiated upon intracellular detection of specific pathogen effectors.

Phytohormone signalling: Hormonal pathways (salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene) that regulate local and systemic immune responses.

References

1. Draft genome sequencing and secretome analysis of fungal phytopathogen Ascochyta rabiei provides insight into the necrotrophic effector repertoire. Scientific Reports (2016).
2. Metabolite profiling of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) in response to necrotrophic fungus Ascochyta rabiei. Frontiers in Plant Science (2024).
3. Genome and Transcriptome Analysis of Ascochyta pisi Provides Insights into the Pathogenesis of Ascochyta Blight of Pea. Microbiology Spectrum (2023).
4. Modulation of fungal virulence through CRZ1 regulated F-BAR-dependent actin remodeling and endocytosis in chickpea infecting phytopathogen Ascochyta rabiei. PLOS Genetics (2021).