Basic innate immunity in plants is achieved via interactions between highly conserved pathogen-associated molecular structures and plant pattern recognition receptors, leading to elicitation of signaling cascades triggering molecular and cell defense mechanisms. At present, most of the components of basic innate immunity in barley have not been identified yet. Here, an overview of current knowledge on mechanisms underlying innate immunity in cereals is presented, based mostly on the data obtained for representatives of Triticeae and Oryzaeae, with a focus on the relationship between immunity, induction of autophagy and elicitation of programmed cell death during the defense response in barley.