Multi-omics perspectives on immune networks underlying durable blast resistance in rice under biotic and climate stress

Abstract

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, remains a major constraint on global rice production, with disease impacts intensified by climate stressors such as elevated temperature and drought. Although decades of research have identified R genes and defense pathways, blast resistance in agricultural systems frequently lacks durability because transcript abundance often correlates poorly with protein activity and metabolic responses. Here, we synthesize genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to conceptualize the rice–M. oryzae interaction as a dynamic system shaped by interacting biotic and abiotic stresses. Across omics layers, resistance durability depends on coordinated control of immune signaling, redox balance, and metabolism, not on individual R genes. Viewing this pathosystem through a systems biology framework enables translational strategies including CRISPR-based modulation of susceptibility regulators, biomarker-driven early detection, and AI-assisted disease forecasting. This review provides a framework for shifting rice blast research from gene-centric to network-centric models of climate-resilient crop protection.