Zea mays Transcriptome infected with Clavibacter nebraskensis

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.

主要由大气二氧化碳（CO₂）浓度升高驱动的气候变化，正严重威胁粮食安全与环境可持续性。预计到2050年，大气二氧化碳浓度将突破550 ppm，此即高浓度二氧化碳（eCO2）环境。该环境通常可提升C3植物的光合作用效率与水分利用效率，进而促进其生物量积累与产量提升。然而，尽管C4植物对全球粮食生产力贡献显著，但目前学界对高浓度二氧化碳环境下C4植物的响应机制仍探索不足，以玉米（Zea mays）为例。此外，高浓度二氧化碳环境可能改变植物与病原菌的互作过程，进而影响病原菌的分布、毒力以及植物的防御应答。本研究旨在探究当前及未来预测的高浓度二氧化碳环境，对玉米在多种病原菌（包括内布拉斯加棒杆菌（Clavibacter nebraskensis）、甘蔗花叶病毒、高粱锈菌（Puccinia sorghi）等）侵染下的免疫反应与病害易感性的影响。本研究通过转录组分析与侵染实验，解析高浓度二氧化碳环境如何调控玉米对叶部、茎部及土传病原菌的应答机制。