Review: Quantitative resistance: More than just perception of a pathogen

Some forms of pathogen resistance function like an on/off switch: if a plant has an appropriate receptor it recognizes a pathogen and shows resistance. Corwin and Kliebenstein review the other kind of resistance, quantitative resistance, in which many genes make small contributions to the plant’s resistance. These quantitative resistance loci are lesser known and more difficult to study, but nevertheless govern the outcome of the majority of plant-pathogen interactions. The authors review some of the molecular players involved in quantitative resitance and also describe the genetic and genomic tools that are helping to shed light on the mechanisms of quantitative resistance. Plant Cell 10.1105/tpc.16.00915