Abstract
Plants defend themselves against environmental stresses by invoking a network of protective mechanisms. It is widely accepted that changes in redox-signalling and regulation resulting from stress-induced increases in oxidative load play an important role in such responses. Recent evidence shows that constitutive tolerance to pathogens can be achieved by modifying the plants endogenous *redox-stat*. Two ways in which enhanced pathogen resistance has been achieved by manipulation of the plants redox sensing and defences will be discussed. The first involves low antioxidant buffering capacity due to diminished ascorbate accumulation. The second mechanism involves modulation of the redox state of the apoplast by manipulation of apoplastic ascorbate oxidase activity Pignocchi C & Foyer, CH (2003).
Pastori, GM, Kiddle, G, Antoniw, J, Bernard, S, Veljovic-Jovanovic, S, Verrier, PJ, Noctor, G & Foyer, CH (2003). The Plant Cell. 15: 939-951.
Pignocchi C & Foyer, CH (2003). Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 6: 379-389.
