Protection against potato virus Y (PVY) in the field in potatoes transformed with the PVYP1 gene

Lines of potato cv, Pito transformed with the P1 gene of Potato Dirus Y (PV Y degrees) in sense or antisense orientation were evaluated for resistance to PVY in the field in 1997 and 1998. The transgenic resistance fully prote cted the crop from infection with PVY degrees transmitted by aphids in both years, These plants were not resistant to the field isolates of the PVYN s train group, which is in agreement with our greenhouse experiments. Consequ ently, several transgenic lines produced higher yields than the nontransgen ic cv. Pito plants. These results showed that the P1 gene-mediated resistan ce provides significant benefits under conditions were the incidence of inf ections and damage by PVY degrees are considerable.