Scientists discover a new gene to protect plants from common diseases

Scientists from the Ural Federal University and the Pushchino Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences have discovered a new gene to protect plants from common diseases like fungi, bacteria and adverse environmental factors. Stilbene Synthase is the gene responsible for the synthesis of resveratrol in plants. This compound is highly biologically active, helping plants protect themselves from drought, frost, salinity and other negative environmental factors. Scientists extracted the Stilbene Synthase Gene from grape leaves and used it to create modified plants that are resistant to a number of common bacterial and fungal pathogens. Stilbene Synthase-modified plants showed high resistance to pathogens dangerous to agroindustry, including Erwinia, Fusarium, Botrytis gray and other fungi and bacteria. These pathogens cause disease in a large number of crops, and infection with them can lead to the loss of a large part of the crop.