Secondary Metabolites Produced by Plant Pathogens

Abstract

Bacterial and fungal plant pathogens produce a diverse array of secondary metabolites. Few of these molecules play key roles in bacterial plant disease, but many fungal secondary metabolites do. Some secondary metabolites are phytotoxic and can be classified as host-selective or non-host selective. Many trigger defence responses such as hypersensitive cell death. These responses are often subverted by the necrotrophic fungi that produce them to supportcolonisation. Other toxins interfere with or suppress signaling plant defence pathways. Rather than bestowing an advantage to the microorganism during growth in planta, secondary metabolite toxins may allow a producing-organism to escape predat..