Appressoria—Small but Incredibly Powerful Structures in Plant–Pathogen Interactions

Abstract

Plant-pathogenic fungi are responsible for many of the most severe crop diseases in the world and remain very challenging to control. Improving current protection strategies or designating new measures based on an overall understanding of molecular host–pathogen interaction mechanisms could be helpful for disease management. The attachment and penetration of the plant surface are the most important events among diverse plant–fungi interactions. Fungi evolved as small but incredibly powerful infection structure appressoria to facilitate attachment and penetration. Appressoria are indispensable for many diseases, such as rusts, powdery mildews, and blast diseases, as well as devastating oomycete diseases. Investigation into the formation of plant–pathogen appressoria contributes to improving the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of plant–pathogen interactions. Fungal host attachment is a vital step of fungal pathogenesis. Here, we review recent advances in the molecular mechanisms regulating the formation of appressoria. Additionally, some biocontrol agents were revealed to act on appressorium. The regulation of fungal adhesion during the infective process by acting on appressoria formation is expected to prevent the occurrence of crop disease caused by some pathogenic fungi.