Identification and functional dissection of maize disease resistance genes

Maize ( Zea mays L.) serves as a staple food in numerous countries and is also used as a raw material for industrial products, playing a significant role in global food security and economic development. The diverse and widespread diseases affecting maize can cause significant losses, posing a serious threat to maize production. Currently, planting resistant varieties remains one of the most economical and effective strategies for disease management in maize. However, maize resistance primarily comprises multiple minor‐effect loci, making the identification of resistant genes challenging. In recent years, advancements in sequencing technologies have facilitated new progress in the cloning and mechanistic analysis of maize resistance genes through methods such as resequencing and population genetic analysis. This paper reviews recent research on the cloning and functional analysis of maize resistance genes and discusses new approaches that may enhance these processes, aiming to provide references for future studies.