Transcriptomic analysis of Hevea brasiliensis infected by Erythricium salmonicolor

The rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis remains the only plants used commercially for the production of high quality natural rubber. Pink disease caused by Erythricium salmonicolor is one of the concerned diseases in Malaysian rubber plantation due to this disease can cause plant developmental delays and crop losses, thereby constrain the sustainability of natural rubber production. Currently, the molecular mechanisms associated with the disease resistance and defense responses of H. brasiliensis against E. salmonicolor infection is still largely unknown. Therefore, this study was conducted with objectives are to identify and functionally annotate all genes present from RNA-seq data of both resistant RRIM 929 and susceptible RRIM 901 rubber clones towards Erythricium salmonicolor infection, to identify the differentially expressed genes of resistant RRIM 929 and susceptible RRIM 901 due to the infection by E. salmonicolor and to validate the expression pattern of representative genes in the RNA-seq analysis especially the genes involved in disease resistance and defense response of H. brasiliensis against the infection by E. salmonicolor using relative RT-qPCR analysis.