Genetic Engineering of Disease and Pest Resistance in Plants: Present State of the Art

Abstract

Rapid progress in gene technology has allowed, on the one hand, insight to be gained into the complex m olecular mechanisms of plant/pathogen recognition and the natural defence strategies of host plants. On the other hand, this technology can also be used for the controlled and efficient generation of genetic variability and for the identification of desirable genotypes, far beyond the possibilities of classical breeding. The first successful attem pts have been made to improve resistance against pathogenic viruses, bacteria, fungi and insects by engineering transgenic plants. The majority of these strategies were based on constitutively expressing single proteins that are either toxic to the pathogen/pest, or interfere with its reproductive cycle. M ore refined strategies, which are at the stage of testing, try to mimic and modify naturally-evolved defence reactions of plants and, thereby, will potentially confer a more durable resistance to a broad range of pathogens. © 1993, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.