Biotech Updates

Chitinase Gene Induced Resistance to Fungus Disease in Rice

October 3, 2008

Researchers from Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University and Suranaree Technology University, Thailand, successfully cloned chitinase genes from seeds of several local plant species. Among these, a chitinase gene from the lead tree Leucaena leucocephala inhibited growth of 13 out of 14 fungal species. This gene was transferred into KDML105 Thai rice and Japonica rice via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Both transgenic rice varieties showed resistance to the fungal pathogen Fusarium moniliforme. 

Read the Thai version of the research at http://www.trf.or.th/News/Content.asp?Art_ID=899