Systemic Acquired Resistance in cereals

DIR1-mediated SAR (Maldonado et al., 2002), characterised in Arabidopsis, is being used as the starting point to study SAR in cereals.

This program started in October 2005 and addresses the transfer of fundamental research in model plant species into crops.

Bioinformatic analysis has identified candidate homologues of DIR1 in rice and barley. As part of this program a comparable Pseudomonas bioassay, to that used in Arabidopsis, is being developed to monitor SAR in transgenic and land race accessions of barley.