Combining Selective Pressures to Enhance the Durability of Disease Resistance Genes

• Published in: Frontiers in plant science Vol. 7; p. 1916
• Main Authors: Bourguet, Denis, Delmotte, François, Franck, Pierre, Guillemaud, Thomas, Reboud, Xavier, Vacher, Corinne, Walker, Anne Sophie A. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers 23.12.2016; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Life Sciences; Plant Science; management of plant pathogens; resistance breakdown; pyramids of plant resistance; fungicides; mosaic of plant resistance; durable disease plant resistance; gene stacking; strategy of resistance gene deployment; méthode de lutte; pest; gène de résistance; pesticide; resistance gene; resistance to diseases; weed control methods; ravageur; comparative analysis; agent pathogène; résistance aux maladies; pathogen; analyse comparative
• ISSN: 1664-462X; 1664-462X
• DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01916

The efficacy of disease resistance genes in plants decreases over time because of the selection of virulent pathogen genotypes. A key goal of crop protection programs is to increase the durability of the resistance conferred by these genes. The spatial and temporal deployment of plant disease resistance genes is considered to be a major factor determining their durability. In the literature, four principal strategies combining resistance genes over time and space have been considered to delay the evolution of virulent pathogen genotypes. We reviewed this literature with the aim of determining which deployment strategy results in the greatest durability of resistance genes. Although theoretical and empirical studies comparing deployment strategies of more than one resistance gene are very scarce, they suggest that the overall durability of disease resistance genes can be increased by combining their presence in the same plant (pyramiding). Retrospective analyses of field monitoring data also suggest that the pyramiding of disease resistance genes within a plant is the most durable strategy. By extension, we suggest that the combination of disease resistance genes with other practices for pathogen control (pesticides, farming practices) may be a relevant management strategy to slow down the evolution of virulent pathogen genotypes.