An Arabidopsis nonhost resistance gene, provides immunity against rice sheath blight pathogen, .

There is neither resistant rice cultivar nor any control measure against AG-1 IA (), causal of sheath blight and a major threat to global rice production. Rice is a host and Arabidopsis is a nonhost with underlying nonhost resistance (NHR) gene which is largely untested. Using approaches of forward genetics and tools, cytology, and molecular biology, we identified homozygous mutants in Arabidopsis, mapped the NHR gene, and functionally characterized it in response to was mapped on Ch 4 between and (844.6 Kb) and identified as the candidate gene. We found that breach of immunity in by activates defense responses whereas photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis and developmental processes are negatively regulated. In addition, a gradual decrease in by 3 dpi revealed that positively regulated early SA-mediated resistance. Whereas increased expression of by 3 dpi supported switching to necrotrophy, SA-mediated defense in Col-0 leading to immune response. Enhanced expression of in rss1 supported autophagic cell death. , and function together to provide NHR against . These findings demonstrate that provides NHR against in Col-0 that evoke SA-mediated early immunity with boulevard for potential biotechnological application.