How do rice plants defend themselves against viral invaders, especially since they don't have immune systems? In this episode, we explore groundbreaking research that uncovers a key antiviral defense mechanism in rice. Scientists have identified RBRL, a ubiquitin ligase, as a crucial sensor that detects viral coat proteins and triggers a cascade of immune responses. By degrading NINJA3, a repressor of jasmonate signaling, the plant activates powerful defense pathways, including RNA silencing, to combat infections like rice stripe virus and rice dwarf virus.