Plays a negative role in rice basal defense responses to the bacterial blight pathogen Xanthomomas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). May function in both positive and negative regulation of rice defense genes. Binds DNA in vitro (PubMed:16045470). Acts as transcriptional activator when bound to NPR1/NH1 in vitro (PubMed:22353606). Binds to the promoter sequence of CRK10 in vitro (PubMed:27176732). Interacts with NPR1/NH1 and NPR3/NH3. Plants silencing TGA2.1 display increased tolerance to the bacterial blight pathogen Xanthomomas oryzae pv. oryzae, are dwarf, and present altered expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes. Belongs to the bZIP family.