Natural and Nature-Inspired Catechol Siderophores: A Promising Strategy for Rice Blast Management.

The rice-blast fungus poses a significant threat to rice production worldwide. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, has recently been reported to be involved in pathogenicity during plant-fungal interactions. Ferroptosis regulates the developmental cell death of conidia necessary for appressorium maturation. In this study, we have established that a series of benzamides containing a chelating catechol moiety suppresses the formation/maturation of appressoria, which are essential for host infection by the rice blast fungus. Moreover, for the most active compounds we have shown that their activity can be at least partially reversed by adding exogenous Fe. These results highlight the close association between iron availability and appressorium maturation, opening new avenues for the development of targeted strategies for management.