Mutinda, SylviaMobegi, Fredrick M.Hale, BrettDayou, OlivierAteka, ElijahWijeratne, AselaWicke, SusannBellis, Emily S.Runo, Steven2023-10-262023-10-262023-09Mutinda, S., Mobegi, F. M., Hale, B., Dayou, O., Ateka, E., Wijeratne, A., ... & Runo, S. (2023). Resolving intergenotypic Striga resistance in sorghum. Journal of Experimental Botany, 74(17), 5294-5306.https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erad210http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/27080ArticleGenetic underpinnings of host–pathogen interactions in the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica, a root parasitic plant that ravages cereals in sub-Saharan Africa, are unclear. We performed a comparative transcriptome study on five genotypes of sorghum exhibiting diverse resistance responses to S. hermonthica using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). We found that S. hermonthica elicits both basal and effector-triggered immunity—like a bona fide pathogen. The resistance response was genotype specific. Some resistance responses followed the salicylic acid-dependent signaling pathway for systemic acquired resistance characterized by cell wall reinforcements, lignification, and callose deposition, while in others the WRKY-dependent signaling pathway was activated, leading to a hypersensitive response. In some genotypes, both modes of resistance were activated, while in others either mode dominated the resistance response. Cell wall-based resistance was common to all sorghum genotypes but strongest in IS2814, while a hypersensitive response was specific to N13, IS9830, and IS41724. WGCNA further allowed for pinpointing of S. hermonthica resistance causative genes in sorghum, including glucan synthase-like 10 gene, a pathogenesis-related thaumatin-like family gene, and a phosphoinositide phosphatase gene. Such candidate genes will form a good basis for subsequent functional validation and possibly future resistance breeding.enCell wall-based resistancecomparative transcriptomicslignin-based resistanceparasitic plantspathogenassociated molecular patternsprogrammed cell deathweighted gene co-expression networksArticle