Molecular Mechanism of Forest Tree Defense against Pathogens and Pests

Dear Colleagues,

Forest pathogens and pests hamper tree growth and development, forestry productivity, and the international trade of wood products. Like other plants, trees have evolved a complex set of defense mechanisms for survival and reproduction in forest ecosystems. In response to biotic stressors, plants defend themselves through various physical, morphological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms. The molecular defense response is initially activated by pathogen-/damage-associated molecular pattern (PAMP/DAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI) or effector-triggered immunity (ETI), depending on the genotypes of hosts and pathogens/pests.

These molecular interactions between hosts and pathogens/pests activate signalling networks, and result in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), defense-responsive proteins (such as anti-microbial peptides and pathogenesis-related proteins), and secondary metabolites. Unlike annual plants, trees do not die from genetically programmed senescence. However, trees are subjected to repeated attacks from pathogens/pests during their long lifespan and can be killed by various forest diseases. In addition to the defense processes highly conserved in all plants, trees have equipped themselves with other specific defensive machineries, such as protective structures consisting of bark and defensive chemicals specific to wood tissues. The current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying trees’ physical, morphological, and biochemical defenses, as well as host resistance or susceptibility to forest parasites, is still very limited. This Special Issue of Forests aims to improve the current understanding of the molecular interactions between tree hosts and their biotic agents in forest habitats, and thus review and research papers involving all aspects of tree defense against pathogens and pests are very welcome.

Dr. Jun-Jun Liu
Guest Editor

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• tree–parasite interactions
• plant immunity
• induced gene expression
• host disease resistance
• biotic threats