The link between changing in host carbon allocation and resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae: a possible tactic for mitigating the rice blast fungus

ABSTRACT

One of the most destructive diseases affecting rice is rice blast, which is brought on by the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. The preventive measures, however, are not well established. To effectively reduce the negative effects of rice blasts on crop yields, it is imperative to comprehend the dynamic interactions between pathogen resistance and patterns of host carbon allocation. This review explores the relationship between variations in carbon allocation and rice plants’ ability to withstand the damaging effects of M. oryzae. The review highlights potential strategies for altering host carbon allocation including transgenic, selective breeding, crop rotation, and nutrient management practices as a promising avenue for enhancing rice blast resistance. This study advances our knowledge of the interaction between plants’ carbon allocation and M. oryzae resistance and provides stakeholders and farmers with practical guidance on mitigating the adverse effects of the rice blast globally. This information may be used in the future to create varieties that are resistant to M. oryzae.

KEYWORDS:

• Carbon allocation
• rice blast fungus
• M. oryzae
• sucrose
• defense
• carbohydrate

1. Introduction

For a large proportion of the world’s population, rice is a staple food that significantly contributes to food security. Although Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae), the causal agent of the rice blast disease, presents a significant obstacle to the cultivation of this essential crop.¹ Rapid and extensive lesions on leaves, stems, and grains are the hallmarks of this destructive disease, which causes large yield losses and negative economic effects.^1,2 Rice blast is a calamitous disease that spreads quickly and has the potential to cause significant yield losses. As a result, it poses a threat to global food production.^3,4 Knowing the nuances of plant-pathogen interactions is critical to the goals of food security and sustainable agriculture. Accessibility and allocation of carbohydrates may be important factors in the trade-off between growth and other abiotic stresses, like ultraviolet-B (UV-B) defense in plants.^5,6 Plants can modify their sugar pools to function as the source of carbon and energy, or they can use them as signals and possibly as potential priming agents to enhance immune responses.^7–9 A plant’s ability to produce secondary metabolites (via the shikimic acid pathway) and produce respiratory energy for safeguards, repair, and maintenance of plant structure and activity as well as DNA repair enzymes for UV-B protection relies on the accessibility of carbohydrates from storage and photosynthesis.^5,10,11 For instance, Staaij et al. showed that increased UV-B radiation reduces the amount of carbohydrates that are allocated to the roots of grassland plants, thereby reducing the infection induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).¹² Furthermore, Mmbando et al. recently showed that the cultivars Surjamkhi, TOB7307, and TOG12380, and the highly UV-B-sensitive transgenic line A-S, which have incredibly low CPD photolyase activity, had enhanced M. oryzae resistance¹³; suggesting that the higher UV-B sensitivity could influence carbon allocation on these plants. These studies suggest that UV-B radiation may alter the amount of sugar in plants that are highly sensitive to UV-B radiation by directing more carbon resources toward UV-B defense mechanisms while reducing its availability to pathogens.^12,14 This could reduce the likelihood of biotrophic and hemibiotrophic fungal infections, like those caused by M. oryzae.¹³

M. oryzae is a member of the Ascomycota phylum and has a complicated life cycle. It is distinguished by its capacity to infect all of the rice plant’s above-ground sections including the leaves, stems, panicles, and grains.^1,4,15,16 The fungus attacks rice plants that are vulnerable by dispersing asexual spores known as conidia, which are carried by the wind and water. When favorable circumstances are met, the conidia sprout and develop into appressoria – specialized infection structures. The fungus can penetrate the plant’s protective cuticle and enter the host cells because of the massive turgor pressure produced by these appressoria. After entering the plant, M. oryzae goes through several developmental phases, one of which is the creation of invasive hyphae that disperse and occupy the tissues of the host. New conidia are produced at the end of the infection and are used as inocula to spread the disease further.^16–18 Many strains of the highly versatile rice blast fungus have been shown to exhibit different virulence patterns and the capacity to surpass resistance in cultivated rice varieties.^19,20 The rice blast has had a significant negative economic impact, lowering yields and jeopardizing food security in areas where rice is a major staple crop. A variety of strategies are being used to tackle this pathogen, such as the creation of tolerant rice varieties, the use of fungicides, cultural practices, and biocontrol.^16,18 Comprehending the biology and mechanisms of M. oryzae is imperative in formulating efficacious strategies to alleviate the impacts of the rice blast and guarantee the enduring cultivation of this indispensable worldwide food supply.

The disease initially appears as tiny, water-soaked spots on the leaves, which quickly grow, clump together, and ultimately turn into necrosis.^16,21 Severe infections have the potential to kill off entire plant tissues, decreasing their ability to photosynthesize and interfering with vital physiological functions.^22,23 The result is reduced grain filling, stunted growth, and declined overall productivity in the infected plants. A rice blast can have a severe economic impact due to the ability to spread quickly, particularly in favorable environmental conditions.^1,24 Since rice is a staple food for most people on the planet, any reduction in rice yields brought on by blast disease has a significant impact on millions of people’s livelihoods and food security. Despite attempts to reduce the effect of rice blasts on crop yields – such as creating and growing rice varieties resistant to the disease, implementing cultural practices to control the spread of the disease, and applying fungicides strategically; the disease still results in large yield losses in agricultural production.^16,18 Maintaining global rice production and a steady food supply requires ongoing research into the genetic variation of M. oryzae and the creation of sustainable disease management plans. Controlling the host carbon supply may be one of a viable tactic to lessen blast severity because M. oryzae is a hemibiotrophic pathogen that requires sugar during the early infection process.²⁵ Nevertheless, the connection between the change in host carbon source and the growth of M. oryzae infection has not been thoroughly investigated in research.

Carbon allocation is moving photosynthetically fixed carbon – mostly in the form of sugars – from source organs to different sinks located all over the plant.^7,26,27 The role of carbon allocation in affecting rice plants’ resistance to M. oryzae is one facet of this intricate relationship that is currently being studied^28–33 (Figure 1). Plants use a basic physiological process called carbon allocation to control how photosynthetically fixed carbon is distributed throughout their different tissues. Breaking down this link could lead to the discovery of new ways to lessen the damage that rice blasts do to crops. Moreover, it is crucial to comprehend carbon allocation to disease resistance to advance plant pathology and agriculture since the distribution of carbon fixed by photosynthetic processes, or carbon allocation, is a key factor in determining how a plant will react physiologically when attacked by a pathogen.²³ This will make it possible to identify important metabolic routes and signaling cascades that are necessary for putting up a strong defense against infections.^29,34 Furthermore, it offers a foundation for creating focused tactics to strengthen a plant’s innate resistance.³⁴ Also, understanding the dynamics of carbon allocation will aid in the breeding of crop varieties tolerant to disease and maximize resource utilization for increased resilience.^23,25

Figure 1. The possible strategy for controlling rice blast disease is through regulation of the carbon allocation of the host plant.

During infection, fungus pathogens such as Magnaporthe oryzae depend on sugar, including sucrose, glucose, or fructose, from the apoplast for successful colonization of the host plant. Pathogens must hijack the plant transport system to transport more sugar to the apoplast using a special sugar transport protein known as Sugars Will Eventually Be Exported Transporters (SWEETs). Strategies to reduce fungi infection may involve modification of SWEETs genes through molecular techniques, which reduces the availability of carbon sugar for M. oryzae at the apoplast. The carbon can be allocated toward building secondary metabolites for defense. This will reduce the development of invasive hyphae as there will be less sugar for the pathogen, thereby decreasing its severity.

The main process in leaves that produces carbon is photosynthesis, which transforms sunlight into chemical energy. Based on their needs for growth and metabolism, the produced sugars are subsequently distributed among the various plant organs.^35–37 An intricate network of biochemical and molecular processes controls this distribution precisely, guaranteeing that carbon resources are used as efficiently as possible.^36,38,39 Roots are important sink organs that are critical to the allocation of carbon. To maintain their growth and function, they incorporate sugars from the leaves in addition to absorbing nutrients from the soil.⁴⁰ The health and general functioning of plants depend on this reciprocal interaction between leaves and roots. Carbon allocation moves to different sinks during times of high metabolic demand or particular developmental stages.^27,41 For example, allocation during reproduction affects yield and quality by concentrating on the development of fruits and seeds. When resources are scarce or under stress, storage organs like tubers or bulbs act as reservoirs for surplus carbon and can provide energy.^40,42,43 Environmental factors have a significant impact on the carbon allocation process. Temperature, stress levels, light intensity, and accessibility to nutrients can all affect the rate and order of carbon distribution.^44,45 To improve crop yield, create resilient plant varieties, and optimize agricultural practices, it is imperative to comprehend these dynamics. Investigating the molecular processes controlling carbon allocation will help researchers and farmers better understand the complexities of plant physiology.⁴⁶ This information not only broadens our comprehension of basic biological processes but also has important ramifications for enhancing crop management techniques, lessening the effects of environmental stressors, and guaranteeing the production of food sustainably in the face of climate change.

Pathogens like bacteria or biotrophic fungi need to take up sugar from the plant host to grow during the infection.⁴⁷ To acquire additional sugar, the pathogen needs to force the host plant to transfer the sugar (such as fructose, sucrose, or glucose) from the cell to the apoplast, an area where the pathogen and host can communicate. Sugar transporters located in the plasma membrane are involved in this process.^25,47 However, microbes are so clever that they can use the host sugar transporter to their advantage and export sugar from the cell. Knowing this mechanism could lead to a viable, long-term plan to stop different microbes from spreading to other plants. Rice plants use complex adjustments to their carbon allocation patterns as an essential part of their defense mechanism against the threat posed by the rice blast fungus M. oryzae.^25,31,48

Due to competition for nutrients between M. oryzae and the host plant, carbon sources like sugars may play a critical role in disease control. Rice blast infection causes a dynamic modification of the carbon distribution, which affects how photosynthetically derived sugars are allocated within the host plant.³¹ Redirecting resources to the infection sites and giving priority to the carbon allocation to the pathogen-affected regions are key components of the adaptive response.^49,50 The stimulation of defense mechanisms is intimately linked to this reallocation of carbon resources. The plant helps the body fight the invasive pathogen by increasing the manufacture of hormones and defense-related substances like phytoalexins and antimicrobial proteins.^51,52 It has been proposed recently that the sugar transporter (SWEET)2a genes are accountable for this.⁵³ Concurrently, the infected areas are physically fortified, to strengthen the cell walls to impede the growth of M. oryzae.^54–56 Deciphering the molecular complexities of rice blast resistance requires an understanding of these modifications in carbon allocation patterns. Understanding these interactions is important because it may lead to the creation of rice varieties with improved carbon allocation techniques. Moreover, through deliberate manipulation of carbon distribution, scientists hope to produce rice plants with increased resilience against rice blasts.

Plant immunity-related proteins are produced by genes whose expression is triggered by signaling pathways that are in turn regulated by the allocation of carbon resources.^{9,25,33,57,58} Research has also looked into how the availability of carbon affects how plant-microbe interactions are modulated.⁵⁹ The amount of carbon allocated to the rhizosphere affects the root microbiome’s composition and may encourage the growth of advantageous microorganisms that strengthen disease resistance.^59–61 Furthermore, systemic signaling is important in carbon allocation responses during pathogen attacks. Establishing a strong and well-coordinated defense response against a variety of pathogens requires the plant to be able to distribute carbon resources systemically, outside of the infection site.^9,33 Together, these studies highlight how dynamic carbon allocation is needed when coordinating complex defense plans. Comprehending these complex mechanisms serves as a basis for creating novel methods to strengthen plant resistance against fungi diseases, potentially providing solutions for crop protection and sustainable agriculture in the midst of changing pathogenic challenges.

Studying the relationship between alterations in carbon allocation and resistance to M. oryzae will be crucial to comprehend the molecular processes that underlie plant defense reactions.^25,31,62 The goal of these investigations is to understand how changes in the carbon distribution of resources affect a plant’s capacity to fend off and defeat the invasive pathogen. Future research should examine how dynamic changes in carbon allocation patterns occur during rice blast infections, with an emphasis on how photosynthetically fixed carbon is redistributed to areas that are being attacked by pathogens. Strategic carbon resource allocation is necessary for rice plants to mount a successful defense against pathogen invasion.^28,31 Carbon is essential for synthesizing defense compounds such as phytoalexins, lignin, and pathogenesis-related proteins.^25,33 Rice plants with optimal carbon allocation can produce more defense compounds, which can result in a stronger and faster defense response. However, a plant’s capacity to defend itself may be jeopardized by an uneven carbon allocation brought on by stress or environmental conditions such as drought or UV-B radiation.^{12,13,25,63,64} The production of defense compounds may be inhibited by insufficient carbon, leaving the plant more susceptible to infections. Furthermore, if too much carbon is allocated to some pathways, resources may be taken away from defense mechanisms, which would exacerbate the plant’s susceptibility to infection.^9,12,13,65 The efficiency of rice plant defense responses is essentially determined by the distribution of carbon, underscoring the significance of a balanced carbon allocation for plant health and pathogen resistance.

The hemibiotrophic fungus M. oryzae changes its available carbon sources during the course of an infection.⁶⁶ Thus, the rice plant’s vulnerability to the rice blast fungus pathogen depends on the amount and distribution of carbon in the plant.^29,31,67 The fungus can use an abundance of carbon to fuel the growth and multiplication of infectious hyphae when there is a surplus of carbon present, such as during times of high photosynthetic activity or nutrient-rich conditions.^32,33 As a result, infection rates rise and disease symptoms worsen. On the other hand, the M. oryzae pathogen may find it more difficult to infect and spread throughout the plant if there is a shortage of carbon due to stress or resource competition.^48,66,68 Plants with low levels of carbon source may display more robust defense mechanisms, such as the synthesis of defense compounds and the activation of genes linked to defense, which may aid in mitigating or preventing the effects of rice blast.⁶⁹ Thus, managing the rice blast requires an understanding of the balance of carbon allocation.

Modifications in the distribution of carbon can result in the production of more lignin, which strengthens cell walls and creates physical barriers against M. oryzae penetration.^46,70 This method reduces the severity and spread of M. oryzae within the rice while also strengthening the plant’s defense against other infection. Furthermore, controlling the distribution of carbon can change the availability of nutrients, which in turn can change the pathogen’s ability to grow.^25,33 The competition for resources between the pathogen and the plant is increased when carbon is less available, which inhibits the pathogen’s ability to proliferate and reduces disease symptoms. Therefore, an abundance of carbon stimulates M. oryzae‘s growth and multiplication, which raises infection rates and intensifies symptoms. The intensity of rice blast can be lessened, however, if there is less carbon available as a result of stress or competition. Using resilient breeding practices and balanced fertilization to manage carbon allocation can help reduce the devastating effects of this disease on rice crops.

This study is important because it investigates the physiological and molecular mechanisms that underlie the dynamics of carbon allocation that change in response to M. oryzae infection. Knowing how the plant distributes and allocates carbon becomes crucial as the fungus uses the resources of its host for its growth and spread.^25,29,31,33 Targeted interventions and management techniques may be made possible by identifying the important pathways and processes that are involved in this interaction. The establishment of sustainable agricultural practices could result from the successful implementation of ideas from this research, providing farmers and crop managers with useful techniques to protect rice yields from the damaging effects of the rice blast fungus M. oryzae.^1,18 However, the information of the relationship between carbon allocation and resistance to the rice blast fungus have remained poor understood.

This review aims to consolidate current research and fill in knowledge gaps regarding how changes in carbon allocation affect rice plants’ ability to withstand M. oryzae. This review offers a thorough basis for creating viable methods to improve rice blast resistance by exploring the relationship between host carbon and pathogen resistance (Figure 1). The knowledge gathered from this study could be useful in creating focused plans to improve rice blast resistance through development of crop varieties with increased resilience by the identification of particular carbon metabolic pathways and signaling mechanisms that regulate the plant’s response to M. oryzae. These discoveries have the potential to improve sustainable production of rice and food security globally.

2. Strategies for mitigating rice blast disease by controlling carbon allocations in the host plant

One effective way to mitigate rice blast disease is to manage the carbon allocations in host plants. Understanding the complex relationship between disease resistance and carbon allocation leads to the development of several potentially important strategies. For instance, it may be possible to increase the synthesis of compounds related to defense by focusing on particular metabolic pathways that contribute to the allocation of carbon.^25,34 By altering these pathways, the plant’s defenses against M. oryzae may be strengthened by a boost in the synthesis of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial qualities.^71,72 Furthermore, a targeted strategy is provided by using genetic engineering to modify genes linked to defense and carbon allocation. Long-lasting and sustainable solutions can be achieved by creating rice varieties with increased resistance through the optimization of carbon utilization pathways.^73–75 Additionally, rice varieties that naturally display effective carbon allocation strategies linked to strong resistance against rice blasts can be identified and promoted through selective breeding programs.⁷⁵ The goal of this approach is to lessen the need for outside interventions by developing crops with better carbon allocation on innate resistance traits. Efficient management of carbon allocation can also be achieved through the application of precision agriculture techniques^76–78 that maximize carbon inputs according to disease risk assessments. More resilience and sustainability in the cultivation system can be achieved by adjusting agricultural practices to the unique requirements of the plant during disease outbreaks. Also, examining how beneficial microbes affect patterns of carbon allocation may be used to control disease. This involves biological control that forms symbiotic relationships that optimize carbon utilization and strengthen the plant’s defense mechanisms. The resistance to rice blast can be increased by applying biocontrol agents that favorably interact with the plant’s carbon distribution pathways.^79,80 When incorporated into agricultural systems appropriately, beneficial microbes or fungi can help maintain a balanced carbon-nutrient dynamic that strengthens the defenses of the plant.^81,82

The incorporation of farming methods targeted at managing carbon allocation has a great deal of promise for improving rice blast resistance. Agricultural systems can make use of several tactical techniques to enhance carbon allocation and support the plant’s defense mechanisms.¹⁸ For example, changing up the rice varieties or introducing crop rotation with non-host crops can interfere with M. oryzae‘s life cycle.^18,83 This technique lessens the accumulation of pathogen populations and lessens the effect of rice blasts on susceptible varieties by improving the management of carbon allocation. In addition, adding green manure or cover crops improves soil fertility and microbial activity, which affects how carbon is allocated in the rhizosphere.^84,85 As a result of these actions, the soil microbiome will become healthier, which will help strengthen the plant’s defense mechanisms.⁸⁶ Furthermore, carbon availability is impacted by adjusting nutrient management techniques, such as fertilizer and organic amendment application. A plant’s capacity to distribute carbon for defense toward rice blast may be impacted by balanced nutrient levels, which may contribute to optimal plant health.^87,88 Moreover, efficient water management techniques, including managed irrigation, support the regulation of the plant’s physiological functions, which influence the distribution of carbon.^89,90 Sustaining proper soil moisture levels can help strengthen the defense against pathogen invasions. In addition, farmers can monitor and manage crops using real-time information by employing precision agriculture technologies like data analytics and remote sensing.^91,92 This strategy makes it easier to implement focused interventions while maximizing resource and carbon allocation in combating diseases. Farmers can actively affect the dynamics of carbon allocation in rice plants and create an environment that encourages resistance to rice blasts by combining these agricultural practices into a comprehensive management plan. With the dual goals of long-term resilience and efficient disease control in rice production systems, this integrated approach is consistent with sustainable and agroecological principles.

3. Potential breeding techniques to monitor host carbon sources and lessen the severity of rice blast disease

Breeding techniques that concentrate on tracking and adjusting host carbon sources present creative ways to lessen the severity of rice blast disease. These tactics seek to create rice varieties with increased resistance by utilizing insights into the dynamics of the plant’s carbon allocation.²⁵ For instance, effective carbon allocation depends on genetic selection.^93,94 This involves identifying and choosing rice cultivars that naturally possess characteristics linked to effective carbon sequestration in the event of pathogen invasions. Employ cutting-edge breeding methods to target particular genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with optimal carbon utilization, such as marker-assisted selection.^93,95,96 Furthermore, carbon pathways can be modulated through the use of transgenic techniques.^{9,29,53,58,97} This involves looking into genetic engineering ways to add or improve genes linked to effective carbon allocation under conditions of illness stress. To increase resistance, transgenic rice lines should be created with altered expression levels of important enzymes like ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rubisco).⁹⁷ The expression levels of regulators associated with carbon metabolism can also be modified to enhance plant resistance. Moreover, high-throughput phenotyping technologies can be used to evaluate and recognize rice plants with better carbon allocation patterns during infection, thereby implementing phenotyping for carbon allocation efficiency.⁹⁸ The integration of remote sensing and imaging approaches is recommended to evaluate alterations in physiological parameters associated with carbon allocation during pathogenic stress. Moreover, rice varieties that promote advantageous root-microbe interactions can be chosen through breeding to improve root-microbe interactions and affect the rhizosphere’s carbon allocation.^95,99,100 Include characteristics linked to stronger mycorrhizal ties or other symbiotic connections that enhance resistance to disease in the host plant. Rice plants can also dynamically modify their carbon distribution in response to pathogenic threats through the introduction of traits linked to environmental sensing and response mechanisms. Breeding for varieties that are more sensitive to cues from the environment linked to the presence of M. oryzae should be given priority. One way to lessen the severity of rice blast disease is, for instance, to breed high-UV-B-sensitive rice cultivars in areas where the disease is common.^12,13 Furthermore, cross-breeding initiatives that combine effective carbon allocation patterns with disease-resistant traits are also needed.^95,100 Hybridization methods can be used to select better combinations of resistance and carbon metabolism-related traits, as well as to introduce genetic diversity. The proactive and sustainable management of rice blast disease involves the monitoring of host carbon sources and the incorporation of this knowledge into breeding programs. Breeders can help create resilient rice varieties that can lessen the severity of M. oryzae infections and ultimately improve global food security by choosing traits linked to optimized carbon utilization by the host plant and not pathogens.

4. Challenges and future directions

The adoption of this technique as an agricultural practice to increase agricultural production is hampered by several techniques. For example, there is complexity in the genetic control of carbon allocation in response to rice blast.¹⁰¹ The complex web of interactions makes it difficult to pinpoint and modify the specific genes involved. Furthermore, patterns of carbon allocation are highly influenced by environmental factors.^18,42,44 It is difficult to design strategies that hold up in a variety of environmental circumstances because interventions may or may not be effective. Moreover, It is well known that M. oryzae adapts quickly.^102,103 Therefore, research must continue to stay ahead of adaptive responses, as there is a chance that the pathogen will develop mechanisms to evade carbon allocation strategies that are manipulated. Additionally, adjusting the allocation of carbon might have consequences for other vital physiological functions.^104–106 It’s critical to strike a balance between preserving general plant health and increased resistance. Another major challenge is converting promising lab results into useful, scalable field applications. Logistical and financial considerations must be carefully taken into account when implementing carbon allocation strategies in large-scale agricultural systems. Subsequent tactics ought to adopt a comprehensive strategy that blends the manipulation of carbon allocation with additional approaches for managing diseases. This could involve crop rotation, the use of fungicides, and the creation of multi-trait-resistant cultivars.

Furthermore, cutting-edge omics technologies like transcriptomics, metabolomics, and genomics should be used to acquire a thorough grasp of the molecular mechanisms governing carbon allocation during rice blast infections.¹⁰⁷ In addition, it is recommended that forthcoming research endeavors devise approaches that accommodate the potential effects of climate change, taking into account how modified environmental circumstances could influence carbon allocation patterns and the efficacy of mitigation tactics.^44,108 In addition, farmers, researchers, and policymakers must work together to develop and enhance carbon allocation strategies for preventing rice blast disease. Involving the community guarantees that strategies are tailored to the unique context and requirements of various agricultural systems. Continuous monitoring systems are also necessary to evaluate the long-term viability of carbon allocation plans. Real-time modifications based on changing pathogen dynamics and environmental circumstances are possible with this adaptive management strategy. Promoting global cooperation for the exchange of resources and knowledge ought to be taken into consideration. Working together can help develop mitigation strategies that are tailored to the specific context and advance our understanding of local differences in rice blast dynamics. The effective application of techniques to reduce rice blast disease by regulating carbon allocations in host plants will depend on navigating the difficulties and embracing these new avenues. This exciting area of study has enormous promise for developing resilient and sustainable farming methods.

5. Conclusion

This review sheds light on the crucial relationship between changes in carbon allocation and rice plants’ ability to withstand M. oryzae, providing important new information about possible ways to lessen the damaging effects of the rice blast fungus. Through deciphering the complex processes underlying the allocation of carbon resources during pathogenic encounters, this study has discovered potentially beneficial pathways for augmenting the plant’s natural defense systems. Altering host carbon allocation through genetic engineering, selective breeding, crop rotation, and nutrient management practices offer a promising avenue for enhancing rice blast resistance. Thus, carbon allocation optimization is a promising tactical method for creating rice varieties that are more resistant to M. oryzae. These discoveries help us navigate the complex relationships between plants and pathogens and open the door to focused interventions that could transform agricultural practices and advance resilient and sustainable rice production. By reducing the risks posed by the rice blast fungus, this research not only advances our basic knowledge of plant biology but also has applications for improving global food security.

Author contributions

G.S.M planned and designed the research, G.S.M performed the experiments, and G.S.M. analyzed data and wrote the manuscript. G.S.M. conceived the study.

Acknowledgments

The author enthusiastically acknowledges the University of Dodoma for providing office space for research write-ups.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data produced during this study are incorporated in the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.