Molecular basis of resistance to leaf spot disease in oil palm

Leaf spot disease is a major disease of oil palm, mainly affecting the early stages, and if not adequately controlled causes plant death and substantial economic loss. Despite its importance, the detailed molecular mechanisms of leaf spot disease in oil palm have not previously been reported. Here we report on the underlying mechanisms of this plant-pathogen interaction, to identify molecular markers to inform breeding programmes for enhanced tolerance to fungal pathogens in this important cropping system. RNA-Seq revealed that genes encoding proteins involved phytohormone biosynthesis, cell wall hardening, and specific transcription factors were key for resistance to leaf spot disease in oil palm. This information will be valuable for breeding new oil palm varieties tolerant to leaf spot disease, thus decreasing our dependency on synthetic pesticides.