Light-Engineering Technology for Enhancing Plant Disease Resistance

Insect vector-borne diseases are a major constraint to a wide variety of crops. Plants integrate environmental light and internal signalings to defend dual stresses both from the vector insects and vector-transmitted pathogens. In this review, we highlight a studies that demonstrate how light regulates plants deploying mechanisms against vector-borne diseases. Four major host defensive pathways involved in the host defense network against multiple biotic stresses are reviewed: innate immunity, phytohormone signaling, RNA interference, and protein degradation. The potential with light-engineering technology with light emitting diodes (LEDs) and genome engineering technology for fine-tuning crop defense and yield are also discussed.

Automated summary

Insect vector-borne diseases are a significant constraint for various crops. This review focuses on studies that illustrate how light regulates plant defense mechanisms against these diseases. Four major pathways involved in host defense against biotic stresses - innate immunity, phytohormone signaling, RNA interference, and protein degradation - are discussed. The potential of light-engineering technology and genome engineering technology for fine-tuning crop defense and yield is also explored.