Transcriptome sequencing of Sesame against charcoal rot disease

Sesame is an oldest crop challenged by many biotic stresses. Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (MP) is one of the most devastating disease of sesame. Molecular mechanisms of resistance to charcoal rot in sesame is not reported till the date. Charcoal rot management strategies in crops mainly include cultural methods, fungicide and biological control which are either not effective or provide limited control. In this scenario, genetic resistance may be the most sustainable method for control of the disease. The molecular basis of plant defense against necrotrophs such as M. phaseolina are largely unknown. So, the understanding of molecular mechanism underlying charcoal rot is necessary. Transcriptome profiling after pathogen infection unravel the key players in plant pathogen interaction. The current study aims to unravel Sesamum indicum L. resistance mechanism to Macrophomina phaseolina by identifying defense related genes and pathways involved during plant-pathogen interaction. To achieve this objective, time course transcriptome libraries were sequenced from two different sesame genotypes using RNA seq technology and further quantitative expression analysis was performed.