Rice Blast Pathogenesis and Resistance: Effector Strategies and Host Defense Mechanisms

ABSTRACT Rice blast is the most significant disease affecting rice production, causing substantial yield loss and quality degradation. Previous studies have focused primarily on the genetic basis of pathogen resistance in rice. Recent studies have revealed the immune response mechanisms induced by pathogen‐associated molecular patterns in the pathogen‐host system, as well as the immune responses induced by effector proteins of the pathogen. This review summarizes recent advancements in the mechanisms by which rice blast effectors alter host cell structures or functions and interfere with rice immunity, and the molecular mechanisms through which rice blast resistance genes regulate rice resistance. This article explores the urgent problems that need to be solved in the field of molecular breeding research on rice resistance to rice blast and proposes a research concept for systematically mining the rice antagonistic genes corresponding to the virulence genes of the rice blast fungus, constructing new rice varieties with precise disease resistance, and thereby effectively reducing the harmful effects of rice blast on rice production.