Infection of Norway spruce by Chrysomyxa rhododendri: ultrastructural insights into plant–pathogen interactions reveal differences between resistant and susceptible trees
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Researchers studied how a rust fungus infects Norway spruce trees at the microscopic level, comparing healthy, resistant trees with ones that get severely infected. In resistant trees, the plant quickly builds protective barriers and accumulates compounds called tannins that slow down the fungus. Understanding these natural defenses could help foresters choose and grow spruce trees that better resist this devastating disease in high-altitude forests.