Plant Pathogen Resistance Biotechnology

Plant pathogens and diseases are among the most significant challenges to survival that plants face. Disease outbreaks caused by microbial or viral pathogens can decimate crop yields and have severe effects on global food supply. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying plant immune response and applying this understanding to develop biotechnological tools to enhance plant defense against pathogens has great potential for moderating the impact of plant disease outbreaks. Plant Pathogen Resistance Biotechnology’s main focus is an in depth survey of the biological strategies being used to create transgenic disease resistant plants for sustainable plant resistance Plant Pathogen Resistance Biotechnology is divided into four sections. The first section covers biological mechanisms underpinning disease resistance in plants, while the second highlights case studies of important pathogen-crop groups and then considers why the application of important pathogen-crop groups, transgenic-based strategies designed to selectively target pathogens could benefit crop production. The third section provides information on the status of transgenic crops around the world, and finally the last part explores high-tech alternatives to genetic engineering for developing disease resistant traits in plants. Contents: Chapter 1 The Status and Prospects for Biotechnological Approaches for Attaining Sustainable Disease Resistance 1 Part I: Biological Strategies Leading Towards Disease Resistance 21 Chapter 2 Engineering Barriers to Infection by Undermining Pathogen Effector Function or by Gaining Effector Recognition 23 Chapter 3 Application of Antimicrobial Proteins and Peptides in Developing Disease‐Resistant Plants 51 Chapter 4 Metabolic Engineering of Chemical Defence Pathways in Plant Disease Control 71 Chapter 5 Arabinan: Biosynthesis and a Role in Host‐Pathogen Interactions 91 Chapter 6 Transcription Factors that Regulate Defence Responses and Their Use in Increasing Disease Resistance 109 Chapter 7 Regulation of Abiotic and Biotic Stress Responses by Plant Hormones 131 Part II: Case Studies for Groups of Pathogens and Important Crops. Why is it Especially Advantageous to use Transgenic Strategies for these Pathogens or Crops? 155 Chapter 8 Engineered Resistance to Viruses: A Case of Plant Innate Immunity 157 Chapter 9 Problematic Crops: 1. Potatoes: Towards Sustainable Potato Late Blight Resistance by Cisgenic R Gene Pyramiding 171 Chapter 10 Problematic Crops: 1. Grape: To Long Life and Good Health: Untangling the Complexity of Grape Diseases to Develop Pathogen‐Resistant Varieties 193 Chapter 11 Developing Sustainable Disease Resistance in Coffee: Breeding vs. Transgenic Approaches 217 Chapter 12 Biotechnological Approaches for Crop Protection: Transgenes for Disease Resistance in Rice 245 Part III: Status of Transgenic Crops Around the World 273 Chapter 13 Status of Transgenic Crops in Argentina 275 Chapter 14 The Status of Transgenic Crops in Australia 285 Chapter 15 Transgenic Crops in Spain 295 Chapter 16 Biotechnology and Crop Disease Resistance in South Africa 305 Part IV: Implications of Transgenic Technologies for Improved Disease Control 317 Chapter 17 Exploiting Plant Induced Resistance as a Route to Sustainable Crop Protection 319 Chapter 18 Biological Control Using Microorganisms as an Alternative to Disease Resistance 341 Chapter 19 TILLING in Plant Disease Control: Applications and Perspectives 365 Chapter 20 Fitness Costs of Pathogen Recognition in Plants and Their Implications for Crop Improvement 385