RNA sequencing analysis reveals boron enhances defense and cell wall gene expression in Brassica napus, indicating a nutritional strategy to control clubroot disease.
Clubroot, a disease caused by the soilborne Chromist plant pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae, is an important constraint to the production of brassica crops such as canola (Brassica napus) around the world. The main strategy for management of clubroot is genetic resistance, but resistance is not durable, and alternative management strategies are urgently needed. This study explores the effect of boron application on clubroot severity using RNA sequencing analysis. The application of boron was shown to affect expression of genes in ontogeny categories related to plant defense and stress response; there were significant changes in differential expression of genes associated with cell wall synthesis, defense against pathogens, and abiotic stress tolerance. The results support the conclusion from previous studies that boron has a complex role in enhancing resistance to Plasmodiophora brassicae.
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Sedaghatkish et al. (2026) studied this question.
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