FIELD TOLERANCE TO FUNGAL PATHOGENS OF BRASSICA-NAPUS CONSTITUTIVELY EXPRESSING A CHIMERIC CHITINASE GENE

Constitutive overexpression of a protein involved in plant defense mec hanisms to disease is one of the strategies proposed to increase plant tolerance to fungal pathogens. A hybrid endochitinase gene under a co nstitutive promoter was introduced by Agrobacterium-mediated transform ation into a winter-type oilseed rape (Brassica napus var. oleifera) i nbred line. Progeny from transformed plants was challenged using three different fungal pathogens (Cylindrosporium concentricum, Phoma linga m, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) in field trials at two different geograph ical locations. These plants exhibited an increased tolerance to disea se as compared with the nontransgenic parental plants.