Lights, Rhythms, Infection: The Role of Light and the Circadian Clock in Determining the Outcome of Plant-Pathogen Interactions

The importance of light with respect to the outcome of plant-pathogen interactions is becoming increasingly evident: light affects both the host response and the virulence of some pathogens. The response of plants to environmental signals and stresses is modulated by the circadian clock, and it is apparent that this may include immune responses. Photo and temporal regulation of immune responses may allow plants to anticipate and react more effectively to particular pathogen infections. These aspects of regulation are sometimes overlooked when designing experiments to understand plant pathogen interactions, complicating the interpretation of the outcomes and the direct comparisons of studies. We review recent key findings in these areas and discuss the implications for experimental design and analyses.