Selection of reference genes for gene expression studies in virus-infected monocots using quantitative real-time PCR.

Highlights: [•] We examined the reference gene stability in five different monocots. [•] Four kinds of viruses were used to produce biotic stresses in plants. [•] The most suitable reference genes for accurate normalisation in virus-infected monocot plants were determined by three different software programs. [•] The suitability of selecting appropriate reference genes was further validated by normalising the expression levels of PR-1 in virus-infected monocots. [•] The diversity of PR-1 expression pattern mirrors the complexity of gene regulation during virus–plant interaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]