Genetic variations and gene expression profiles of Rice Black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) in different host plants and insect vectors: insights from RNA-Seq analysis.

Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) is an etiological agent of a destructive disease infecting some economically important crops from the Gramineae family in Asia. While RBSDV causes high yield losses, genetic characteristics of replicative viral populations have not been investigated within different host plants and insect vectors. Herein, eleven publicly available RNA-Seq datasets from Chinese RBSDV-infected rice, maize, and viruliferous planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus) were obtained from the NCBI database.

Modifying lignin: A promising strategy for plant disease control.

Lignin is a complex polymer found in the cell walls of plants, providing structural support and protection against pathogens. By modifying lignin composition and structure, scientists aim to optimize plant defense responses and increase resistance to pathogens. This can be achieved through various genetic engineering techniques which involve manipulating the genes responsible for lignin synthesis.