A method of screening for a plant defense activator, which enhances an immune response of a plant, from at least one candidate substance includes: contacting a plant cell in which a jasmonic acid-dependent defense pathway and a salicylic acid-dependent defense pathway of a plant defense system are capable of working independently from each other, with a candidate substance contacting the plant cell with a trigger material that induces an immune response and assaying the plant cell after contacting with the trigger material based on an index representing an immune response, to select a target substance that enhances an immune response of the plant. A method of enhancing an immune response of a plant includes use of a specific compound, and a plant immune response enhancer includes the specific compound.