SALICYLIC ACID DRIVEN DEFENCE: ENHANCING RICE RESISTANCE TO BACTERIAL BLIGHT

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the most important staple food for more than two-third of the world population providing more than 20 percent of the calorie consumed worldwide. The bacterial blight disease caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is considered as one of the major diseases of rice across the globe which causes large production losses. Salicylic acid is a possible treatment for illness management strategy. It has been demonstrated that salicylic acid is essential for fostering rice resistance to bacterial blight. Recent studies indicate that application of salicylic acid to rice plants can stimulate their defence systems and boost their resistance to X. oryzae pv. oryzae. One of these defence strategies is the overexpression of genes linked to disease. Salicylic acid is a potent disease management technique for rice that successfully fights bacterial blight by making rice plants resistant to the infection and triggering defence mechanisms against it. By increasing defence genes and triggering defence mechanisms in rice plants, salicylic acid creates resistance, shielding the plants from infection and lessening the intensity of bacterial blight outbreaks. The present study mainly focuses on the multifaceted role of salicylic acid in the management of bacterial blight disease in rice.