title: Disease resistance in rice and the role of molecular breeding   in protecting rice crops against diseases.
abstract: Rice diseases (bacterial, fungal, or viral) threaten food productivity. Host resistance is the most efficient, environmentally friendly method to cope with such diverse pathogens. Quantitative resistance conferred by quantitative trait loci (QTLs) is a valuable resource for rice disease resistance improvement. Although QTLs confer partial but durable resistance to many pathogen species in different crop plants, the molecular mechanisms of quantitative disease resistance remain mostly unknown. Quantitative resistance and non-host resistance are types of broad-spectrum resistance, which are mediated by resistance (R) genes. Because R genes activate different resistance pathways, investigating the genetic spectrum of resistance may lead to minimal losses from harmful diseases. Genome studies can reveal interactions between different genes and their pathways and provide insight into gene functions. Protein–protein interaction (proteomics) studies using molecular and bioinformatics tools may further enlighten our understanding of resistance phenomena.
authors.forename: Shah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fahad
authors.forename: Lixiao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Faheem Ahmed
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Yutiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Saddam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Dongliang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.forename: Shah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saud
authors.forename: Farhan Anwar
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Fahad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Shah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manan
authors.forename: Amanullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Jianliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D032621:DNA Shuffling; D060467:Disease Resistance; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci