News

Erucamide is a newly discovered plant immune activator (phytoalexin) that disarms bacterial pathogens rather than killing them directly. It is a breakthrough discovery by Chinese agricultural scientists published in Science (2025).

Core mechanism (Chinese scientists’ finding)

• Targets the type III secretion system (T3SS)—the “injectisome” bacteria use to inject toxins into plant cells.

• Binds specifically to HrcC, a key structural protein of T3SS, blocking assembly of the injectisome.

• Bacteria remain alive but lose virulence (cannot cause disease).

• Broad-spectrum: works on Pseudomonas syringae, Xanthomonas oryzae (rice blight), Ralstonia solanacearum (tomato wilt), etc..

Verified cases & field trials (China)

1. Tomato bacterial wilt 

◦ Field trial in Hubei: erucamide root-dip treatment on seedlings → protection efficacy equal to commercial copper bactericides/antibiotics.

◦ Foliar spray: blocks bacterial attack within hours.

2. Rice bacterial blight 

◦ Strong protective effect demonstrated in lab and greenhouse tests.

3. Kiwi canker 

◦ Preliminary trials show significant disease control.

4. Model plant (Arabidopsis)

◦ Genetic proof: plants unable to make erucamide are more susceptible; exogenous application restores resistance.

Key recommendations from Chinese scientists

• Lead teams:

◦ Prof. Zhou Jianmin (IGDB, CAS / Yazhou Bay National Lab) – plant immunity.

◦ Prof. Lei Xiaoguang (Peking University) – chemical biology & natural products.

• Core recommendations:

1. Use as a bio-pesticide: Low cost (~a few yuan per mu), stable to temperature/humidity, environmentally safe, no resistance risk.

2. Application methods:

◦ Root dipping for seedling protection (best for soil-borne bacteria).

◦ Foliar spraying for rapid control of foliar bacterial diseases.

3. Integration with breeding: Engineer crops to overproduce erucamide for durable, broad-spectrum bacterial resistance.

4. Green agriculture priority: Replace copper/antibiotics to reduce environmental impact and resistance.

Why it’s revolutionary (per Chinese scientists)

• Unlike traditional pesticides that kill bacteria, erucamide disarms them—lower selection pressure for resistance.

• Found in monocots & dicots (rice, wheat, tomato, soybean, etc.) – evolutionarily ancient defense.

• High potency: 30 μM starts inhibiting T3SS; 150 μM reduces effector secretion by 83%.