Zea mays Transcriptome infected with Puccinia sorghi

Climate change, driven largely by increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), threatens food security and environmental sustainability. Elevated CO2 (eCO2) levels, predicted to surpass 550 ppm by 2050, generally enhance photosynthesis and water-use efficiency in C3 plants, boosting biomass and yield. However, the effects of eCO2 on C4 plants, such as maize (Zea mays), remain underexplored, despite their significant contribution to global productivity. Additionally, eCO2 may alter plant-pathogen interactions, influencing pathogen distribution, virulence, and plant defense responses. This study investigates the impacts of current and predicted eCO2 levels on maize immunity and disease susceptibility across various pathogens, including Clavibacter nebraskensis, sugarcane mosaic virus, Puccinia sorghi, and others. Through transcriptomic analyses and infection experiments, we explore how eCO2 modulates maize responses to foliar, stalk, and soil-borne pathogens.