Key Eggplant Gene Boosts Resistance to Bacterial Wilt

Researchers from South China Agricultural University have identified SmDDA1b, a critical gene in eggplants that boosts the crop's resistance to bacterial wilt, a major threat to solanaceous crops. The study published in Horticulture Research shows that SmDDA1b degrades the SmNAC protein, triggering the plant's immune defenses against the disease.

Bacterial wilt is caused by Ralstonia solanacearum which impairs plant water transport, leading to crop devastation. The disease is difficult to manage due to its spread via irrigation and infected plant materials, while traditional controls are often ineffective. The discovery of genetic pathways that boost the crop's disease resistance is essential.

The researchers found that SmDDA1b enhances eggplant resistance to bacterial wilt through a detailed interaction with transcription factor SmNAC, which controls salicylic acid production (SA), a crucial hormone for plant immunity. The team found that when bacterial infection or SA treatment occurs, SmDDA1b expression increases, activating the plant's immune system. In plants with silenced SmDDA1b, SA levels, and resistance dropped. Moreover, the overexpression of SmDDA1b significantly strengthened resistance as well as controlled pathogen spread.

This breakthrough could pave the way for genetic engineering and breeding strategies to develop more robust crops and facilitate the breeding of more resilient eggplant varieties.

For more details, read the paper published in Horticulture Research.