This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Salicylic acid (SA) is a signaling molecule in the plant immune system. SA accumulates following pathogen invasion, triggering activation of the transcription regulator NPR1, which in turn induces resistance to a broad spectrum of pathogens. SA and its analogues have been used in agriculture to protect crop plants from pathogen infection. However, continuous spraying of plants with SA or an analogue, or constitutive accumulation of elevated levels of SA in plants, leads to growth retardation and reduced seed yield, suggesting that high levels of SA stress plants. The focus of this project is to understand the nature of SA stress by identifying components of the SA-stress signaling pathway using a combination of genetic, molecular biological, and biochemical approaches. The project is expected to provide a better understanding of SA stress, which will help minimize the detrimental effect of SA on crops when utilized to activate resistance in agriculture. It is expected that results from the project will further promote the usage of SA in agriculture for increasing plant resistance to pathogens, reducing the use of pesticides for controlling plant disease. This project will support the development of next generation of scientists by training postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate researchers in the areas of plant genetics, plant pathology, molecular biology, and biochemistry. The project will also support workshops to train middle school and high school science teachers from schools with large numbers of underrepresented minority students.
