Abstract: Programmed cell death (PCD) is a biological process regulated by some specific genes in cell growth or response to stimulation outside, along with the characteristics of cell morphology and molecular biology. Plant hypersensitive response (HR) is a type of PCD and also a form of disease resistance induced by the incompatible pathogen with a rapid death of the infected cells and their surrounding to restrict the pathogen growth. Hypersensitive cell death is not caused directly by the destructive potential of the pathogen, but rather under an intrinsic genetic control, i. e., a type of programmed cell death (PCD). HR is the key to the plant resistance to diseases. Research on HR has become one of the focuses and hot spots in phytopathology. In this paper we reviewed and discussed the development of HR on plant disease resistance, especially its characteristics, information conduct factors, monitoring methods and molecular mechanisms. In the end, we put forward a prospect for application of PCD in forest plant disease resistance.

Key words: programmed cell death, hypersensitive reaction, disease resistance, information conduct factors, monitoring methods