Research Progress on Rice-Blast-Resistance-Related Genes

As a staple food crop, Oryza sativa L. is not only the basis of global food and nutrition security but also an important cornerstone of national economic development and social stability. However, the growth of rice is often accompanied by the threat of rice blast, which can lead to the death of seedlings or plants before heading. In the later stages of growth, a severe leaf blast infection will reduce the leaf area at the filling stage, thereby reducing the grain yield. The study of rice blast resistance genes and susceptibility genes is a key strategy for controlling the occurrence of rice blast and ensuring sustainable rice production. This paper reviews the impact of rice blast on the global economy and food security in recent years, describes the immune mechanism of rice blast resistance, and introduces the latest progress in related research. At the same time, the main genes of rice blast resistance and the resistance-related genes, as well as the susceptibility genes identified or cloned in recent years, are summarized. This paper also discusses the application of conventional breeding, molecular-marker-assisted breeding, gene editing, and other technologies in rice blast resistance breeding. The problem of accurately finding avirulence genes for R genes in current disease-resistant breeding is discussed and explored, aiming to improve rice blast resistance, agronomic traits, and yield in a sustainable way.