The plant innate immune system relies on regulated programmed cell death (PCD) responses which provide resistance against biotrophic fungal pathogens and are utilized by necrotrophic pathogens. The gene-for-gene interactions leading to resistance against biotrophs has been co-evolving over millions of years and provides many targets for necrotrophic pathogens to subvert the plants PCD for their benefit. Two PCD pathways involved in plant immunity were characterized. The first, nec3, appears to control runaway PCD in response to infection by many pathogens who mainly elicit pathogen or damage associated molecular pattern (PAMP or DAMP) triggered immunity. The nec3 mutant was mapped to chromosome 6H and a pool of candidate genes were identified by RNAseq. The second, Rcs5, is a dominant susceptibility gene or a putative necrotrophic effector triggered susceptibility (NETS) target that confers susceptibility to Cochliobolus sativus. The candidate Rcs5 genes are three Wall Associated Kinases (WAKs) found on chromosome 7H (1).