Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Potential Applications in Plant Protection

Abstract

The overuse of pesticides has led to resistance in phytopathogens, posing significant threats to global food security and environmental health. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), small molecules produced by various organisms as part of their innate immune defense, exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity with a lower risk of resistance development. These properties make AMPs promising candidates for sustainable agricultural practices. However, challenges such as high production costs, instability, and potential toxicity to plant cells have hindered their widespread application. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the discovery, classification, and antimicrobial mechanisms of AMPs, focusing on their roles in plant protection. It also explores strategies for identifying and optimizing AMPs, including structural modifications, targeted delivery systems, and production methods using plant- and microbe-based expression systems. Additionally, the review highlights the potential of transgenic approaches to enhance crop resistance by expressing AMP genes in plants. Despite the challenges, AMPs offer a transformative opportunity for modern agriculture, providing innovative solutions to combat plant diseases while reducing reliance on conventional pesticides. Continued research and technological advancements are essential to fully realize the potential of AMPs in sustainable plant protection.