Management of host plant resistance through immunization: an overview

Resistance is an inherent character of a plant which gives protection against one and several plant pathogens and it can be developed in plant through different methods. Plant Immunization is one of the processes which can develop the resistance in plants against fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens by activating the natural defence mechanism of plant through artificial inoculation with biotic and abiotic factors. Activation of SA Pathway, Ethylene Pathway, AzA Pathway and JA Pathway through artificial inoculation with biotic and abiotic factors results in synthesis of Pathogenesis-Related (PR) Proteins, Hypersensitive Responses, production of Phytoalexins, production of Active Oxygen Species and some morphological and biochemical changes in the cells etc., all these phenomenon are responsible for resistance development in plants against a variety of pathogen and are components of Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) and Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) in plant. Protection against plant viruses can be achieved through Cross-protection, it is a phenomenon in which infection of a plant with a mild virus or viroid strain protects it from disease resulting from a subsequent encounter with a severe strain of the same virus or the viroid. Cross protection can be accomplished through different approaches like RNA silencing, Defective interfering RNAs and Satellite sequences etc. SAR and ISR can be utilized under field conditions for eco-friendly management of diseases.