PbrWRKY70 increases pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd) black spot disease tolerance by negatively regulating ethylene synthesis via PbrERF1B-2.

Various pear plant cultivars exhibit diverse abilities to resist pear black spot disease (BSD), while the precise molecular mechanisms of resistance against pear BSD remain unclear. This study proposed a profound expression of a WRKY gene, namely PbrWRKY70, derived from Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd, within a BSD-resistant pear cultivar. Comparative analysis against the wild-type revealed that the overexpression of PbrWRKY70 engendered augmented BSD resistance of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana and pear calli.