RESISTANCE OF TRANSGENIC PRUNUS-DOMESTICA TO PLUM POX VIRUS-INFECTION

Transgenic plum trees (Prunus domestica) containing the plum Fox potyv irus coat protein (PPV-CP) gene were inoculated with PPV by aphid feed ing or chip budding. Infection was monitored by evaluation of virus sy mptoms, DAS-ELISA, and immunoblot assays. Based on observations and an alyses over 3 years including two dormancy cycles, one out of five tra nsgenic clones (C-5), was found to be resistant to infection whether i noculated by aphids or by chip budding. PPV could not be detected in a ny inoculated plants of the C-5 clone by immunoblot or immunocapture-r everse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays. To our knowledg e, this is the first P. domestica clone resistant to PPV infection pro duced by genetic engineering.