SUMMARYPlants solely rely on innate immunity of each individual cell to deal with a diversity of microbes in the environment. Extracellular recognition of microbe-and host damage-associated molecular patterns leads to the first layer of inducible defenses, termed pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). In plants, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) described to date are all membrane-associated receptor-like kinases or receptor-like proteins, reflecting the prevalence of apoplastic colonization of plant-infecting microbes. An increasing inventory of elicitor-active patterns and PRRs indicates that a large number of them are limited to a certain range of plant groups/species, pointing to dynamic and convergent evolution of pattern recognition specificities. In addition to common molecular principles of PRR signaling, recent studies have revealed substantial diversification between PRRs in their functions and regulatory mechanisms. This serves to confer robustness and plasticity to the whole PTI system in natural infections, wherein different PRRs are simultaneously engaged and faced with microbial assaults. We review the functional significance and molecular basis of PRRmediated pathogen recognition and disease resistance, and also an emerging role for PRRs in homeostatic association with beneficial or commensal microbes.

Summary Plants constantly monitor and cope with the fluctuating environment while hosting a diversity of plant‐inhabiting microbes. The mode and outcome of plant–microbe interactions, including plant disease epidemics, are dynamically and profoundly influenced by abiotic factors, such as light, temperature, water and nutrients. Plants also utilize associations with beneficial microbes during adaptation to adverse conditions. Elucidation of the molecular bases for the plant–microbe–environment interactions is therefore of fundamental importance in the plant sciences. Following advances into individual stress signaling pathways, recent studies are beginning to reveal molecular intersections between biotic and abiotic stress responses and regulatory principles in combined stress responses. We outline mechanisms underlying environmental modulation of plant immunity and emerging roles for immune regulators in abiotic stress tolerance. Furthermore, we discuss how plants coordinate conflicting demands when exposed to combinations of different stresses, with attention to a possible determinant that links initial stress response to broad‐spectrum stress tolerance or prioritization of specific stress tolerance.

Sucrose, hexoses and raffinose play key roles in plant metabolism. Sucrose and raffinose, produced by photosynthesis, are translocated from leaves to flowers, developing seeds and roots. Translocation occurs in the sieve elements or sieve tubes of angiosperms. But how is sucrose loaded into and unloaded from the sieve elements? There seem to be two principal routes: one through plasmodesmata and one via the apoplasm. The best-studied transporters are the H+/SUCROSE TRANSPORTERs (SUTs) in the sieve element-companion cell complex. Sucrose is delivered to SUTs by SWEET sugar uniporters that release these key metabolites into the apoplasmic space. The H+/amino acid permeases (AAPs) and the UmamiT amino acid transporters are hypothesized to play analogous roles as the SUT-SWEET pair to transport amino acids. SWEETs and UmamiTs also act in many other important processes – for example, seed filling, nectar secretion, and pollen nutrition. We present information on cell type specific enrichment of SWEET and UmamiT family members and propose several members to play redundant roles in the efflux of sucrose and amino acids across different cell types in the leaf. Pathogens hijack SWEETs and thus represent a major susceptibility of the plant. Here, we provide an update on the status of research on intercellular and long-distance translocation of key metabolites such as sucrose and amino acids, communication of the plants with the root microbiota via root exudates, discuss the existence of transporters for other important metabolites and provide potential perspectives that may direct future research activities.

172/175 words)Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) bind microbe-and damage-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs/DAMPs, respectively) to enhance host immunity in animals and plants. Here, we report that PRRs also confer salt tolerance in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana following recognition of cognate ligands, such as bacterial flagellin and EF-Tu and the endogenous Pep peptides. Pattern-triggered salt tolerance (PTST) requires the PRR-associated kinases BAK1 and BIK1, and the NADPH oxidase RBOHD. Transcriptome profiling reveals an inventory of PTST target genes, which increase or acquire salt responsiveness following an exposure to immunogenic patterns.In their regulatory DNA sequences, specific binding sites for a subset of WRKY transcription factors are over-represented. Accordingly, PTST requires WRKY40 and WRKY18, which activate salt tolerance-related genes but attenuate pathogen defenserelated genes, including the EDS1 immunity activator. PRR signaling leads to sustained WRKY40/WRKY18 accumulation under salt stress and utilizes both WRKYs for salt tolerance. The PRR-WRKY40/WRKY18 module also confers salt tolerance after challenge with non-pathogenic bacteria. Our findings give molecular insight into signaling plasticity underlying biotic-abiotic stress cross-tolerance in plants conferred by PRRs.

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Bacterial leaf blight (BB) of rice, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), threatens global food security and the livelihood of small-scale rice producers. Analyses of Xoo collections from Asia, Africa and the Americas demonstrated surprising continental segregation, despite robust global rice trade. Here, we report unprecedented BB outbreaks in Tanzania. The causative strains, unlike endemic Xoo, carry Asian-type TAL effectors targeting the sucrose transporter SWEET11a and suppressing Xa1. Phylogenomics clustered these strains with Xoo strains from China. African rice varieties do not carry suitable resistance genes. To protect African rice production against this emerging threat, we developed a hybrid CRISPR-Cas9/Cpf1 system to edit six TALe-binding elements in three SWEET promoters of the East African elite variety Komboka. The edited lines show broad-spectrum resistance against Asian and African strains of Xoo, including strains recently discovered in Tanzania. This strategy could help to protect global rice crops from BB pandemics.

Bacterial leaf blight (BB) of rice, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), threatens global food security and the livelihood of small-scale rice producers. Analyses of Xoo collections from Asia, Africa and the Americas demonstrated complete continental segregation, despite robust global rice trade. Here, we report unprecedented BB outbreaks in Tanzania. The causative strains, unlike endemic African Xoo, carry Asian-type TAL effectors targeting the sucrose transporter SWEET11a and iTALes suppressing Xa1. Phylogenomics clustered these strains with Xoo from Southern-China. African rice varieties do not carry effective resistance. To protect African rice production against this emerging threat, we developed a hybrid CRISPR-Cas9/Cpf1 system to edit all known TALe-binding elements in three SWEET promoters of the East African elite variety Komboka. The edited lines show broad-spectrum resistance against Asian and African strains of Xoo, including strains recently discovered in Tanzania. The strategy could help to protect global rice crops from BB pandemics.

In plants, a first layer of inducible immunity is conferred by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that bind microbe- and damage-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs/DAMPs, respectively) to activate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). PTI is strengthened or followed by another potent form of immunity when intracellular receptors recognize pathogen effectors, termed effector-triggered immunity (ETI). Immunity signaling regulators have been reported to influence abiotic stress responses as well, yet the governing principles and mechanisms remain ambiguous. Here, we report that PRRs of a leucine-rich repeat ectodomain also confer salt tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana, following recognition of cognate ligands, such as bacterial flagellin (flg22 epitope) and EF-Tu (elf18 epitope), and the endogenous Pep peptides. Pattern-triggered salt tolerance (PTST) requires authentic PTI signaling components, namely the PRR-associated kinases BAK1 and BIK1, and the NADPH oxidase RBOHD. Exposure to salt stress induces the release of Pep precursors, pointing to the involvement of the endogenous immunogenic peptides in developing plant tolerance to high salinity. Transcriptome profiling reveals an inventory of PTST target genes, which increase or acquire salt responsiveness following a pre-exposure to immunogenic patterns. In good accordance, plants challenged with non-pathogenic bacteria also acquired salt tolerance in a manner dependent on PRRs. Our findings provide insight into signaling plasticity underlying biotic-abiotic stress cross-tolerance in plants conferred by PRRs.