Infectious Bacteria Force Host Plants to Feed Them, Study Finds
Published:17 Apr.2022 Source:Ohio State University
A species of bacteria that infect corn crops compel their hosts to produce a feast of nutrients that keeps the pathogens alive and thriving long before they start to kill the plant's cells, new research shows. The study in young maize plants reveals that these bacteria not only generate food for themselves in crops they inhabit, but also coax life-sustaining water from the plants.
Though the lab conditions don't represent exactly what happens in the field, the research provides insights into fundamental processes central to the ability of a pathogen to cause a corn disease prevalent in the central and northeastern U.S. called Stewart's wilt. These bacteria are also creating problems for rice and jackfruit crops in parts of the Eastern hemisphere.