Diversification and deployment of PRR and NLR immune receptors in potato.

Wild relatives of potato (Solanum tuberosum) have accumulated a wide diversity of immune receptors that provide disease resistance to a multitude of pathogens. The classical resistance genes in potato generally belong to the nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLRs) receptors, which are well studied and widely applied in disease resistance breeding. Less explored are the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which include receptor-like proteins and receptor kinases. Despite their distinct evolutionary origins and the traditional separation between PRR- and NLR-mediated immune pathways, emerging molecular evidence indicates that these systems converge in their downstream signaling to combat pathogens. The identification of new PRRs in potato has revealed an unexpected diversification that promises to offer new alternatives to build resistance. By integrating mechanistic, evolutionary, and bioengineering perspectives, we outline how receptor diversity in wild Solanum species can be strategically harnessed to achieve durable resistance against Phytophthora infestans and other major potato pathogens. Elucidating the signaling networks underlying these receptors will be critical to guide their rational stacking and precise engineering, opening new opportunities to achieve durable disease resistance in potato.

© 2026 The Author(s). The Plant Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.