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Article Addendum

Enemy at the Gates: Interaction-Specific Stomatal Responses to Pathogenic Challenge

Elena Prats, Timothy L.W. Carver, Alan P. Gay and Luis A.J. Mur

volume 2 | issue 4

july/august 2007
Pages: 275 - 277

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Stomata regulate gas exchange and their closure in response to pathogens may, in some cases, contribute to resistance. However, in the cereal mildew and rust systems, stomatal closure follows establishment of compatible infections. In incompatible systems, expression of major (R) gene controlled hypersensitive responses (HR), causes drastic, permanent stomatal dysfunction: stomata become locked open following powdery mildew attack and locked shut following rust attack. Thus, stomatal locking can be a hitherto unsuspected negative consequence of R gene resistance that carries a physiological cost affecting plant performance.

Authors

Elena Prats

Institute of Sustainable Agriculture, Córdoba, Spain

Timothy L.W. Carver

Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Aberystwyth, U.K.

Alan P. Gay