Guangzhou China Oct. 11, 2010 - Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) claims that the secret of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae invading rice has been unlocked currently.
The study shows that Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae can use the dominant Xa13 gene, a necessity gene of growth and reproduction in rice, to invade rice by decreasing the distribution of copper in rice vessels.
Bacterial leaf blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae is one of the important diseases in rice; over 70% of rice in the world has ever resulted in a serious decrease. However, some pesticides with copper can be against bacterial leaf blight. Resistance has been developed as these pesticides have been widely used in recent years.
According to professor Wang, the key researcher of the subject, this discovery will be conductive to effectively control diseases on rice and develop rice resistant varieties.
Wang Shi-ping, a professor in life science & technology academy at HZAU, is a director of doctor students. In the past 11 years professor Wang has been leading the team to study on the dominant Xa13 gene, a new resistance gene of rice, which has an impact on rice growth and its resistant to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae. It is also one of the important gene for rice genetic improvement.
Source: CCM International