Novel 'on-off' switch discovered in plant defenses
Friday, July 24, 2020 - 15:10
in Biology & Nature
Researchers investigating the ways that plants protect themselves -- from insects to pathogens -- have discovered an ''on-off'' switch that controls plant defensive mechanisms. The switch turns on immune responses minutes after an attack and later sends a deactivation signal to avoid self-inflicted damage. The finding lays the groundwork for improved plant disease resistance and food stability.