Key Discoveries in Plant Pathology During the Past Half Century: Impacts on the Life Sciences and on Plant Disease Management

Abstract

Plant pathology plays a critical role in safeguarding plant health, food security, and food safety through science-based solutions to protect plants against recurring and emerging diseases. In addition, plant pathology contributed significantly to basic discoveries that have had broad impacts on the life sciences beyond plant pathology. In December 2021, The American Phytopathological Society (APS) conducted a survey among its members and among the readership of its journals to identify and rank key discoveries in plant pathology that have had broad impacts on science and/or practical disease management during the past half century. Based on the responses received, key discoveries that have broadly impacted the life sciences during that period include the Agrobacterium Ti plasmid and its mechanism in T-DNA transfer, bacterial ice nucleation, cloning of resistance genes, discovery of viroids, effectors and their mechanisms, pattern-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity, RNA interference and gene silencing, structure and function of R genes, transcription activator-like effectors, and type-III secretion system and hrp/ hrc. Major advances that significantly impacted practical disease management include the deployment and management of host resistance genes; the application of disease models and forecasting systems; the introduction of modern systemic fungicides and host resistance inducers, along with a better understanding of fungicide resistance mechanisms and management; and the utilization of biological controls and suppressive soils, including the implementation of methyl-bromide alternatives. In this special issue, experts from the pertinent fields review the discovery process, recent progress, and impacts of some of the highest ranked discoveries in each category while also pointing out future directions for new discoveries in fundamental and applied plant pathology.