Hypersensitive plant cell death is activated by the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide, and is strictly controlled by several genes including cysteine proteases, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide scavengers, and cell death regulators. In contrast to biotrophic fungal pathogens, necrotrophic pathogens like Fusarium pseudograminearum and F. culmorum that cause Fusarium crown rot infections, benefit from plant cell death by utilising dying plant tissue to facilitate their spread throughout the plant
