Signals that stop the rot: Regulation of secondary metabolite defences in cereals

•Diverse secondary metabolites are produced in cereals in response to pathogens.•Components of PAMP triggered immunity control accumulation of phytoalexins.•Chitin induces phytoalexins in rice via Ca2+, G-proteins, MAPK, and JA signalling.•Operon-like gene clusters encode secondary metabolites.•The phytoanticipin, DIMBOA, is a key role player in priming induced defences.

Plants accumulate a vast arsenal of chemically diverse secondary metabolites for defence against pathogens. This review will focus on the signal transduction and regulation of defence secondary metabolite production in five food security cereal crops: maize, rice, wheat, sorghum and oats. Recent research advances in this field have revealed novel processes and chemistry in these monocots that make this a rich field for future research.