The biology of blast: Understanding how Magnaporthe oryzae invades rice plants

Rice blast is one of the world’s most serious plant diseases and a significant threat to global food security. To invade rice plants, the blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae forms specialised cells called appressoria that generate pressure and physical force to rupture the leaf cuticle. Recent evidence suggests that appressorium development is controlled by cell cycle checkpoints and involves autophagy. This culminates in programmed cell death of the fungal conidium and recycling of its contents to the appressorium. M. oryzae has evolved specialised regulatory mechanisms to respond to the nutrient-free environment of the rice leaf surface and its physical and chemical characteristics, in order to gain entry to the plant