Plants rely on a limited set of immune receptors to recognize and combat diverse pathogens. These receptors fall into two major classes: pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which mediate cell-surface immunity, and nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs), which govern intracellular immunity. Traditional breeding efforts have largely focused on NLRs due to their strong, race-specific resistance. In contrast, PRRs have remained underexploited despite their potential for broad-spectrum and durable defense. We investigated the functional transfer and optimization of two Arabidopsis thaliana PRRs, RLP23 and RLP30, both of which recognize conserved microbial patterns from bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes. When introduced into Solanaceae crops, these receptors conferred broad-spectrum resistance, without compromising yield or development, highlighting their agronomic promise. Through domain-swapping and structure-function analyses, we identified the intracellular (IC) domain of RLPs as a key factor for functional compatibility in heterologous systems. Targeted engineering of the IC domain significantly enhances RLP23 potential utility, enabling transfer of robust resistance against bacterial, fungal, and oomycete pathogens to other plants without compromising yield. We extended this RLP engineering strategy to the monocot rice and the woody plant poplar, demonstrating its broad applicability. These findings establish a versatile and scalable strategy for PRR-based receptor engineering and broaden the toolkit for sustainable crop protection.
