Insights into Reactive Oxygen Species Production-Scavenging System Involved in Sugarcane Response to Infection under Drought Stress.

Plants must adapt to the complex effects of several stressors brought on by global warming, which may result in interaction and superposition effects between diverse stressors. Few reports are available on how drought stress affects () infection in sugarcane ( spp. hybrids). Drought and leaf scald resistance were identified on 16 sugarcane cultivars using inoculation and soil drought treatments, respectively. Subsequently, four cultivars contrasting to drought and leaf scald resistance were used to explore the mechanisms of drought affecting -sugarcane interaction. Drought stress significantly increased the occurrence of leaf scald and populations in susceptible cultivars but had no obvious effect on resistant cultivars. The ROS bursting and scavenging system was significantly activated in sugarcane in the process of infection, particularly in the resistant cultivars. Compared with infection alone, defense response via the ROS generating and scavenging system was obviously weakened in sugarcane (especially in susceptible cultivars) under infection plus drought stress. Collectively, ROS might play a crucial role involving sugarcane defense against combined effects of infection and drought stress.