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Genetic Approaches to Enhancing Disease Resistance in Crops
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Genetic Approaches to Enhancing Disease Resistance in Crops

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2025) | Viewed by 4273

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ruth A. Heinz

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Guest Editor
Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular–IABiMo–INTA-CONICET, Instituto de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Hurlingham 1686, Argentina
Interests: plant molecular biology; host-pathogen interaction; sunflower genetics and genomics; sunflower disease resistance; sunflower senescence
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Zujun Yang

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Guest Editor
Center for Informational Biology, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
Interests: plant molecular cell biology; plant chromosome; wheat genetics; wheat breeding; genomic evolution; chromosome engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Genetic approaches to enhancing disease resistance in crops represent a critical area of research in improving global food security. Plant diseases, caused by a wide variety of pathogens including fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes, continue to pose significant threats to crop yield and quality. Traditional breeding methods have been foundational in improving disease resistance in crops; however, they are increasingly being supplemented and enhanced through modern genetic tools and technologies.

Recent advances in molecular biology, high-throughput genotyping and phenotyping, functional genomics, and genome editing techniques, such as CRISPR-Cas9, have opened up new avenues for understanding and manipulating disease resistance at the genetic level. The identification and characterization of resistance genes, coupled with high-throughput genomic tools, can enable more precise and efficient breeding strategies. In addition, the exploration of plants’ wild relatives and the development of genetically diverse germplasms are essential in introducing novel resistance traits into cultivated crops.

This Special Issue will explore the latest advancements in genetic approaches to disease resistance, focusing on the application of cutting-edge tools such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), marker-assisted selection (MAS), and gene-editing technologies. It will also highlight the challenges and opportunities in translating these genetic advancements into practical breeding strategies that can be implemented in diverse agricultural systems to safeguard crop productivity in the face of increasing pathogen pressure. We invite authors to contribute their insights on the latest developments, challenges, and innovations in this rapidly evolving field.

Dr. Ruth A. Heinz
Prof. Dr. Zujun Yang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • genetic approaches
  • GWAS
  • QTL mapping
  • disease resistance
  • crop breeding
  • molecular biology
  • genome editing
  • CRISPR-Cas9
  • resistance genes
  • marker-assisted selection

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

31 pages, 7378 KB  
Article
Pangenomic Approach for the Identification and Functional Characterization of Active GASA Antimicrobial Genes in Citrus Rootstocks for Resistance Breeding Against Bacterial Pathogens
by Florencia Nicole Bekier, Mariana Conte, Rodrigo Machado, Lourdes Pereyra Ghidela, Natalia Inés Almasia, Vanesa Nahirñak, Nadia Frías, Paula del Carmen Fernández, Cecilia Vazquez Rovere, Horacio Esteban Hopp and Gabriela Conti
Plants 2026, 15(3), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15030425 - 30 Jan 2026
Viewed by 758
Abstract
The SNAKIN/GASA family comprises antimicrobial peptides with proven activity against bacteria and fungi, making them promising candidates for improving disease resistance in citrus rootstocks. In sixty-seven new GASA variants from a citrus germplasm collection, the presence of the characteristic 12-cysteine domain was confirmed [...] Read more.
The SNAKIN/GASA family comprises antimicrobial peptides with proven activity against bacteria and fungi, making them promising candidates for improving disease resistance in citrus rootstocks. In sixty-seven new GASA variants from a citrus germplasm collection, the presence of the characteristic 12-cysteine domain was confirmed and were classified into three subfamilies. The absolute expression levels of ten representative genes were analyzed in floral tissues, young leaves, and mature leaves from five citrus accessions with contrasting susceptibility to Xanthomonas citri. Expression profiling revealed tissue-specific patterns, with higher transcript abundance in juvenile and floral tissues of tolerant accessions. Meta-analysis of HLB-related RNA-seq datasets revealed the upregulation of specific GASA genes. Three genes from Poncirus trifoliata—PtGASA6, PtGASA8, and PtGASA10—were then selected for functional validation in Nicotiana benthamiana. Transient overexpression of PtGASA6 and PtGASA10 significantly reduced disease symptoms caused by Pseudomonas syringae and heightened the hypersensitive response to X. citri, whereas PtGASA8 showed no detectable effect. Notably, PtGASA6 enhanced the hypersensitive response by 30% more than PtGASA10, while PtGASA10 delayed necrosis by 40% more than PtGASA6, indicating distinct antimicrobial mechanisms. Together, these results identify PtGASA6 and PtGASA10 as strong candidates for breeding and biotechnological strategies aimed at improving broad-spectrum bacterial disease resistance in citrus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Approaches to Enhancing Disease Resistance in Crops)
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19 pages, 2433 KB  
Article
Stable Resistance to Potato Virus Y and Potato Leafroll Virus in Transgenic Potato Plants cv. Kennebec Expressing Viral Genes Under Greenhouse and Field Conditions
by María Pilar Barrios Barón, Natalia Inés Almasia, Vanesa Nahirñak, Diego Zavallo, Deimer Daniel Rodriguez Diaz, Sebastián Asurmendi, Federico Fuligna, Horacio Esteban Hopp, Ana Julia Distéfano and Cecilia Vazquez Rovere
Plants 2026, 15(3), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15030355 - 23 Jan 2026
Viewed by 603
Abstract
Potato virus Y (PVY) and potato leafroll virus (PLRV) are the most damaging viruses for potato production worldwide. Mixed infections not only result in additive detrimental effects on plant growth and tuber yield but also complicate the development of durable and broad-spectrum viral [...] Read more.
Potato virus Y (PVY) and potato leafroll virus (PLRV) are the most damaging viruses for potato production worldwide. Mixed infections not only result in additive detrimental effects on plant growth and tuber yield but also complicate the development of durable and broad-spectrum viral resistance. Heterologous protection against PVY can be achieved through the expression of the coat protein (CP) of lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) (CPLMV), conferring resistance via a capsid protein-mediated mechanism. On the other hand, we have previously demonstrated that transgenic lines expressing the PLRV ORF2 (RepPLRV) exhibit resistance to different PLRV isolates. In this study, potato transgenic lines of cv. Kennebec expressing CPLMV and RepPLRV were developed to confer dual virus resistance. Transgenic and non-transgenic control plants were molecularly and phenotypically characterized in greenhouse and field conditions. Across multiple growing seasons, two selected transgenic lines consistently displayed robust resistance to both major viruses, without exhibiting yield penalties or noticeable phenotypic alterations. These results constitute a significant advancement, demonstrating that dual resistance to PVY and PLRV can be achieved while preserving the original agronomic performance of the cultivar. This breakthrough not only contributes to long-term crop productivity but also provides a more sustainable strategy for managing viral diseases in potato production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Approaches to Enhancing Disease Resistance in Crops)
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12 pages, 6388 KB  
Article
MutMap-Based Cloning of a Soybean Mosaic Virus Resistance Gene
by Bin Wang, Xiaofang Zhong, Debin Yu, Demin Rao, Lu Niu, Hongwei Xun, Xiangyu Zhu, Lu Yi, Xueyan Qian and Fangang Meng
Plants 2025, 14(22), 3504; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14223504 - 17 Nov 2025
Viewed by 778
Abstract
Soybean is rich in protein and oil and serves as the most important legume crop globally. Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is a severe threat to soybean production worldwide. MutMap, a gene-mapping technology based on map-based cloning and whole-genome resequencing, is utilized to clone [...] Read more.
Soybean is rich in protein and oil and serves as the most important legume crop globally. Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is a severe threat to soybean production worldwide. MutMap, a gene-mapping technology based on map-based cloning and whole-genome resequencing, is utilized to clone key regulatory genes for agronomic traits in plants. However, no relevant studies have reported the cloning of genes resistant to SMV. We used an M3 mutant population derived from ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis of Williams 82, and conducted field inoculation experiments involving the SMV-SC3 strain. After field validation, two lines with high resistance to SMV were finally identified. Using MutMap, we initially screened candidate genes for SMV resistance and found that the G-to-A transitions of one candidate resistance gene, Glyma.13G194900, were at base positions 122 and 166. These transitions resulted in the substitution of glycine with glutamic acid (GGA→GAA) and valine with aspartic acid (GTT→GAT), respectively. Transgenic functional validation in soybean showed that the mutant allele of Glyma.13G194900 (designated Glyma.13G194900M) substantially enhanced resistance to SMV-SC3, in contrast to the wild-type allele, which did not enhance resistance. Our results demonstrate that MutMap can rapidly identify SMV resistance-related genes to provide a genetic resource that accelerates the breeding of new SMV-resistant soybean. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Approaches to Enhancing Disease Resistance in Crops)
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23 pages, 1719 KB  
Article
Combining Linkage and Association Mapping Approaches to Study the Genetic Architecture of Verticillium Wilt Resistance in Sunflower
by Juan F. Montecchia, Mónica I. Fass, Matías Domínguez, Sergio A. González, Martín N. García, Carla V. Filippi, Emiliano Ben Guerrero, Carla Maringolo, Carolina Troglia, Facundo J. Quiroz, Julio H. González, Daniel Alvarez, Ruth A. Heinz, Verónica V. Lia and Norma B. Paniego
Plants 2025, 14(8), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14081187 - 11 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1663
Abstract
Sunflower Verticillium Wilt and Leaf Mottle (SVW), caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., is a globally prevalent disease affecting sunflower production. In this study, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 10 and other genomic regions associated with SVW resistance by [...] Read more.
Sunflower Verticillium Wilt and Leaf Mottle (SVW), caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., is a globally prevalent disease affecting sunflower production. In this study, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 10 and other genomic regions associated with SVW resistance by integrating biparental and association mapping in sunflower populations from the National Institute of Agricultural Technology. Nine replicated field trials were conducted in highly infested V. dahliae reservoirs to assess disease incidence and severity. Both mapping populations were genotyped using double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq). Association mapping with 18,161 SNPs and biparental QTL mapping with 1769 SNPs identified a major QTL on chromosome 10 explaining up to 30% of phenotypic variation for disease incidence at flowering and for the area under the disease progress curve for disease incidence, and which contributes to a lesser extent to disease severity reduction. Additional QTLs on chromosomes 17, 8, 9, 14, 13, and 11 were associated with reduced disease incidence, severity, or both. Candidate genes were identified within these associated regions, 39 of which are in the major QTL on Chromosome 10. These findings demonstrate the value of integrating complementary QTL mapping strategies for validating resistance loci and advancing sunflower breeding for SVW resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Approaches to Enhancing Disease Resistance in Crops)
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