Study Reveals Brown Planthopper Infestation Reduces Susceptibility of Rice to Meloidogyne graminicola

A study published in New Phytologist shows that brown planthopper infestation reduces root sugar allocation in rice, thereby reducing its susceptibility to Meloidogyne graminicola (M. graminicola), a major soilborne pathogen that causes severe damage to the crop. The findings of this study highlight the importance of sugar allocation in rice for pests above and below the ground.

Brown planthopper infestation is a serious threat to rice production that causes wilting and complete drying of rice plants. M. graminicola causes serious damage to deepwater rice, which includes yellowing, stunting, and gall formation on the roots of rice plants. Both pests consume nutrients, especially sugars, from the rice plants for them to grow and thrive in the environment.

Thus, the researchers developed transgenic rice lines using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to examine the plant's resistance to M. graminicola. The results of the study indicate that OsSUT1 silenced line and OsSUT2 mutant lines show a certain degree of resistance to M. graminicola. This research provides significant insights into the interaction between brown planthopper infestation and M. graminicola in sugar allocation in rice plants.

For more information, read the article from New Phytologist.