Key Takeaways:
- A study published in Current Biology highlights the role of genetic diversity in protecting traditional rice varieties against diseases.
- Researchers found that traditional rice varieties cultivated in China’s Yuanyang terraces have a more extensive immune receptor repertoire compared to modern varieties.
- The study suggests that this genetic diversity is crucial for the resilience of these crops against pathogens, reducing the need for pesticides.
- The findings emphasize the importance of maintaining genetic diversity in crops to enhance global food security.
In the face of increasing threats from infectious diseases, the genetic diversity of plants is becoming increasingly important for protecting crops and ensuring global food security. A recent study published in Current Biology by a team of researchers from INRAE, CIRAD, and their British and Chinese collaborators sheds light on the remarkable disease resistance found in traditional rice varieties cultivated in the Yuanyang terraces of southwest China. The study suggests that the extensive immune receptor repertoire found in these traditional varieties is key to their resilience against pathogens.
The Challenge of Disease in Modern Agriculture
Plant resistance to disease is a significant concern in modern agriculture, directly impacting food security worldwide. Plants possess sophisticated defense mechanisms, including a variety of immune receptors that detect molecules produced by pathogens. However, when pathogens evade these detection mechanisms, they can proliferate, leading to widespread disease and crop damage.
Monoculture farming, where large areas are planted with genetically identical crops, exacerbates this issue by creating an environment where diseases can easily spread. Rice (Oryza sativa) is particularly vulnerable to diseases such as rice blast, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. While modern rice varieties are often highly susceptible to such diseases, traditional rice varieties—known as landraces—grown in the Yuanyang terraces of China have demonstrated a stronger resistance to pathogens.
Insights from the Yuanyang Terraces
The study by researchers from the Plantomix International Associated Laboratory found greater genetic diversity in immune receptors in traditional rice varieties compared to modern ones. This diversity contributes to sustainable disease resistance observed in traditional cropping systems, such as the diverse rice cultivation at the Yuanyang terraces. This natural resistance reduces the need for chemical pesticides, promoting long-term sustainability.
Read the complete study here.
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