Involved in defense response. Required for NPR1/NH1-mediated resistance to the bacterial blight pathogen Xanthomomas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Required for pathogenesis-related (PR) genes expression. May be involved in lignin biosynthesis. No visible phenotype under normal growth conditions, but mutant plants have reduced lignin content and increased sugar extractability. Mutant plants show enhanced susceptibility to the bacterial blight pathogen Xanthomomas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Belongs to the 3-beta-HSD family.