Lorena Pizarro - Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, 7505101, Israel; School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
Neta Kovetz - Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, 7505101, Israel.
Ilana Shtein - Department of Oenology and Agriculture, Eastern Region R&D Center, Ariel, Israel.
Raz Zarivach - Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 8410501, Israel.
Adi Avni - School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel..
Plants rely on innate immunity to perceive and ward off microbes and pests, and are able to overcome the majority of invading microorganisms. Even so, specialized pathogens overcome plant defenses, posing a persistent threat to crop and food security worldwide, raising the need for agricultural products with broad, efficient resistance. Here we report a specific mutation in a tomato (S. lycopersicum) helper nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat H-NLR, SlNRC4a, which results in gain of function constitutive basal defense activation, in absence of PRR activation. Knockout of the entire NRC4 clade in tomato was reported to compromise Rpi-blb2 mediated immunity. The SlNRC4a mutant reported here possesses enhanced immunity and disease resistance to a broad-spectrum of pathogenic fungi, bacteria and pests, while lacking auto-activated HR or negative effects on plant growth and crop yield, providing promising prospects for agricultural adaptation in the war against plant pathogens that decrease productivity.
Lorena Pizarro - Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, 7505101, Israel; School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
Neta Kovetz - Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, 7505101, Israel.
Ilana Shtein - Department of Oenology and Agriculture, Eastern Region R&D Center, Ariel, Israel.
Raz Zarivach - Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 8410501, Israel.
Adi Avni - School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel..
Plants rely on innate immunity to perceive and ward off microbes and pests, and are able to overcome the majority of invading microorganisms. Even so, specialized pathogens overcome plant defenses, posing a persistent threat to crop and food security worldwide, raising the need for agricultural products with broad, efficient resistance. Here we report a specific mutation in a tomato (S. lycopersicum) helper nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat H-NLR, SlNRC4a, which results in gain of function constitutive basal defense activation, in absence of PRR activation. Knockout of the entire NRC4 clade in tomato was reported to compromise Rpi-blb2 mediated immunity. The SlNRC4a mutant reported here possesses enhanced immunity and disease resistance to a broad-spectrum of pathogenic fungi, bacteria and pests, while lacking auto-activated HR or negative effects on plant growth and crop yield, providing promising prospects for agricultural adaptation in the war against plant pathogens that decrease productivity.