TRANSFORMATION OF THE PHYTOPATHOGEN MYCOSPHAERELLA-GRAMINICOLA TO CARBENDAZIM AND HYGROMYCIN-B RESISTANCE

The fungal wheat pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola was transformed t o carbendazim and hygromycin B resistance. A beta-tubulin gene from a M. graminicola strain resistant to the fungicide carbendazim was clone d and used to transform a sensitive strain to carbendazim resistance. Hygromycin B-resistant transformants (up to 8 per mu g Of transforming DNA) arose at a higher rate than beta-tubulin transformants (up to 0. 6 per mu g of DNA). Transformants were able to infect wheat and were m orphologically similar to recipient strains.