Harnessing abiotic elicitors to bolster plant's resistance against bacterial pathogens

Bacterial pathogens have been of considerable interest in the field of plant pathology as they are known to cause serious constraints in crop production once infected. When environmental conditions favor disease development, the well-known bacterial pathogens including Pseudomonas syringae, Ralstonia spp., and Xanthomonas spp. exert severe harmful impacts across a variety of crop plants. The bacterial pathogens are known to infect plant tissues' extracellular spaces and release virulence factors directly into the cytosol or apoplast of the host plant. In this context, developing long-lasting and effective methods for controlling bacterial infections becomes essential for maintaining sustainable agricultural production. However, conventional methods such as copper-based bactericides and antibiotics are often proven to be ineffective and also adversely affect human health and the environment. Therefore, the immense challenges offered by bacterial diseases in global agriculture have encouraged interest in developing environment-friendly and sustainable alternatives for chemical pesticides. Abiotic elicitors are chemicals with non-biological origins that activate plant defense mechanisms and can potentially help in agriculture and crop protection. Numerous abiotic elicitors have shown impressive effectiveness in boosting plant defenses against bacterial infections, employing multiple mechanisms of induced resistance in various crops. The present review explores the rapidly developing field of abiotic elicitors and discusses their role in strengthening plant defenses through induction of resistance, understanding their role in boosting plant immunity, and highlighting both the potential benefits and current challenges to strengthen global food security.