Systemic acquired resistance

Plants can be induced to switch on defense reactions to a broad range of pathogens as a result of prior exposure to pathogens or to various chemicals or physical stress. Induced resistance is expressed locally, at the site of the infection or systemically, at sites remotely located from the initial infection. Upon recognition of the initial stimulus by the plant, a signal transduction pathway is set in motion, that includes intra and intercellular signals, and results in the activation of defense mechanisms, mostly by expression of new genes. This brief review will focus on some of the recent advances in the understanding of systemic acquired resistance and on the role played by salicylic acid in this process.