Isolation and characterization of a Vitis vinifera transcription factor, VvWRKY1, and its effect on responses to fungal pathogens in transgenic tobacco plants
The aim of this study was to identify components of the grape defence mechanisms, and we focus on a WRKY transcription factor expressed in grape berries because fruits, rich in sugar and other nutrients, provide an ideal target for pathogens.

Elicitor-Mediated Oligomerization of the Tobacco N Disease Resistance Protein
Plant nucleotide binding site–leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) proteins are similar to the nucleotide binding oligomerization domain (NOD) protein family in their domain structure.

Leaf scorch symptoms are not correlated with bacterial populations during Pierce's disease
Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is a xylem-limited bacterium that lives as a harmless endophyte in most plant species but is pathogenic in several agriculturally important crops such as coffee, citrus, and grapevine

Building disease-beating wheat
Disease resistance genes from three different grass species have been combined in the world's first 'trigenomic' chromosome, which can now be used to breed disease resistant wheat varieties.

Disease damages wheat roots, thwarts water uptake
Alterations in irrigation schedules may be needed when wheat streak mosaic infection is suspected in winter wheat crops

Plant diseases threaten chocolate production worldwide
Chocolate lovers, beware. Each year 20 percent of the cacao beans that are used to make chocolate are lost to plant diseases, but even greater losses would occur if important diseases spread.

Hawaii's anthurium growers cope with plant disease
A destructive pathogen is impacting Hawaii's production of anthuriums, a plant known for its heart-shaped flower and leaves, say plant pathologists

Malaria, potato famine pathogen share surprising trait
Two wildly different pathogens — one that infects vegetables, the other infecting humans—essentially use the same protein code to get their disease-causing proteins into the cells of their respective hosts.

Genome info from 'plant destroyers' could save trees, beans and chocolate
Rapidly evolving genes encode substances that may debilitate plants

Balancing male fertility and disease resistance
An international collaboration of researchers, headed by Dr. Shiping Wang (Huazhong Agricultural University, China) has discovered that a single gene in rice regulates both male fertility and pathogen resistance

Managing Plant Disease Risk in Diversified Cropping Systems
This review evaluates the risks to diversified crop production systems associated with the major plant diseases in the northern Great Plains and the influence of host, pathogen, and environmental factors on disease control.

Bioprospecting endophytic bacteria for biological control of coffee leaf rust
A study on endophytic bacteria isolated from coffee leaves and branches, with biocontrol potential against coffee leaf rust

Functional analysis of Arabidopsis WRKY25 transcription factor in plant defense against Pseudomonas syringae
The authors analyzed the role of the WRKY25 transcription factor from Arabidopsis in plant defense against the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae.

Plant pathologists address next steps in combating soybean rust
Soybean rust is a fungal disease of soybean that has severely affected soybean crops in Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America.

Vineyard weeds found to host Pierce's disease of grapes
Research suggests that weeds commonly found in California's wine country may enable the spread of Pierce's disease of grapes, one of the most destructive plant diseases affecting grapes.

Grazer diversity counteracts plant diversity effects on ecosystem functioning in seagrass beds
Several influential experiments have shown that high plant diversity enhances ecosystem productivity, animal diversity, and invasion resistance.

Why plants' soapy defences against disease don't always wash
Natural soaps are an important weapon in the armoury that plants deploy to protect against disease attack, but a report describes how disease-causing microbes can turn these plant defences to their own advantage.

Quick identification needed to save Florida's citrus industry from devastating disease
The recent discovery of citrus greening (huanglongbing) in samples collected from trees in South Florida poses a definite threat to Florida's $9 billion commercial citrus industry.

An unexpected outcome of atmospheric CO2 enrichment
Unseen belowground interactions impact the composition of natural plant communities.

Whitefly spreads emerging plant viruses
A tiny whitefly is responsible for spreading a group of plant viruses that cause devastating disease on food, fiber, and ornamental crops, say plant pathologists