Recent Advances in Mechanisms Underlying Defense Responses of Horticultural Crops to Botrytis cinerea

Horticultural crops are a crucial component of agriculture worldwide and have great economic value. The notorious plant fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea can cause gray mold disease in over 200 horticultural crops, leading to severe economic losses. Investigating the mechanisms underlying plant defense responses to pathogens is crucial for developing new strategies for effectively controlling plant diseases, and much progress has occurred in the mechanisms underlying defense responses of horticultural crops to B. cinerea mainly due to the completion of genome sequencing and the establishment of efficient tools for functional genomics. In this review, recent progress in mechanisms underlying defense responses and natural products that can enhance the resistance of horticultural crops to B. cinerea are summarized, and future research directions are also discussed.

Automated summary

Horticultural crops play a crucial role in global agriculture and have significant economic value. Gray mold disease caused by the plant fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea can result in severe economic losses in over 200 horticultural crops. Understanding the mechanisms underlying plant defense responses and exploring natural products that can enhance resistance to B. cinerea are important for effective disease control. This review summarizes recent progress in defense mechanisms and discusses future research directions.