New discovery in plant-pest warfare could lead to sustainable farming solutions

Earth & Climate News -- ScienceDaily · last updated March 18, 2025 – 5:56 PM

Overuse of chemical pesticides has driven resistance in agricultural pests, including the adaptable two-spotted spider mite. Researchers have discovered novel elicitor proteins, Tet3 and Tet4, in mite saliva that could enhance sustainable pest control. They found that these proteins play a crucial role in modulating plant defense responses by acting as key players in the complex interactions between parasite and host, paving the way for new mite countermeasures.

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