Disease resistance

What is disease resistance?

Disease resistance refers to the ability of a plant to restrict, slow, or withstand the progression of a pathogen or insect that could cause disease. There are several types of disease resistance in plants:

• Horizontal resistance - provides resistance against some variants of a pathogen but not others. This type of resistance is controlled by several genes and is long-lasting.


• Vertical resistance - protects the plant against some or all variants of a specific pathogen. It is controlled by one or a few genes so may be less durable over time.


• Induced resistance - activated after initial exposure to pathogenic microbes and enhances the plant's resistance upon subsequent exposures.

Plants have physical and chemical barriers to block infection, as well as molecular mechanisms to recognize pathogens and activate defense responses. Key defense mechanisms include:

• Structural barriers like waxy layers, bark, and cell walls


• Production of inhibitory chemicals and proteins


• Programmed cell death to restrict the pathogen


• Systemic acquired resistance triggered after an initial infection primes and enhances immunity against secondary attacks

Breeding disease resistant crop varieties is crucial for sustainable agriculture. Methods to achieve this include traditional breeding, genetic engineering, or marker-assisted selection to identify and select plants with resistance genes.

Many factors influence the effectiveness and durability of disease resistance in the field, including environmental conditions, inoculum pressure, and the evolution of pathogen races that can overcome host resistance. Therefore, an integrated approach with various control methods is ideal.

At Hormone Harmony, our panel of experts stay up-to-date on the latest science of plant breeding for disease resistance. We help clients select tailored treatment plans to strengthen their crops. Contact us today to learn about our promotional spring specials!