Chapter 4

Passive Defenses

Dhia Bouktila and Yosra Habachi

Abstract

Plants shield against microbes using structural defenses, antimicrobial compounds and secondary metabolites. Most plants have impermeable obstacles, such as waxy cuticles, or morphological adaptive transformations like thorns, which retard the pathogen's progression into plant tissues and prevent the release of deleterious substances such as enzymes for the degradation of walls or toxins. If a pest crosses the barriers of a plant, it is usually confronted with biochemical weapons including, but not limited to, secondary metabolites with antimicrobial ability.

Total Pages: 34-39 (6)

Purchase Chapter  Book Details