Disease resistant plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plant, which is resistant to a pathogen of viral, bacterial, fungal or oomycete origin, wherein the plant has a reduced level, reduced activity or complete absence of DMR6 protein as compared to a plant that is not resistant to the said pathogen, in particular organisms of the Fungi or the phylum Oomycota. The invention further relates to a method for obtaining a plant, which is resistant to a pathogen of viral, bacterial, fungal or oomycete origin, comprising reducing the endogenous level or activity of DMR6 protein in the plant. In addition, the invention relates to the use of a DMR6 promotor for providing disease resistant plants.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . An isolated maize plant that is resistant to  Peronosclerospora  spp., wherein the maize plant has a reduced level or reduced activity of DMR6 protein as compared to a maize plant that is not resistant to  Peronosclerospora  spp., wherein said maize plant has a non-natural mutation introduced into the dmr6 gene encoding the DMR6 protein of SEQ ID NO: 83 and said plant has a reduced level or reduced activity of the DMR6 protein of SEQ ID NO: 83 as compared to the maize plant that is not resistant to  Peronosclerospora  spp. 
     
     
         13 . The maize plant of  claim 12 , wherein the mutation in the dmr6 gene leads to an amino acid substitution in the DMR6 protein. 
     
     
         14 . The maize plant of  claim 12 , wherein the mutation in the dmr6 gene reduces expression of the dmr6 gene and leads to a reduction of endogenous level of the DMR6 protein. 
     
     
         15 . A seed, tissue, or plant part of the maize plant of  claim 12 , wherein the seed, tissue, or plant part comprises the mutation in the dmr6 gene and said plant has a reduced level or reduced activity of the DMR6 protein of SEQ ID NO: 83. 
     
     
         16 . A method for obtaining a maize plant which is resistant to  Peronosclerospora  spp., the method comprising reducing an endogenous level of the DMR6 protein of SEQ ID NO: 83 in a maize plant by introducing a non-natural mutation into the dmr6 gene encoding the DMR6 protein of SEQ ID NO: 83 to produce a maize plant that is resistant to  Peronosclerospora  spp. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein reducing the endogenous level of the DMR6 protein in the maize plant is achieved by reducing expression of the dmr6 gene. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein reducing expression of the dmr6 gene is achieved by gene silencing or RNAi. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mutation results in one or more amino acid changes that leads to a reduced enzymatic activity of the DMR6 protein of SEQ ID NO: 83. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mutation is effected by a mutagenic treatment of the maize plant. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the mutagenic treatment is effected with a mutagen or with radiation. 
     
     
         22 . A maize plant produced from the method of  claim 16 , wherein the plant comprises the mutation in the dmr6 gene and said maize plant has a reduced level or reduced activity of the DMR6 protein of SEQ ID NO: 83. 
     
     
         23 . A seed, tissue, or plant part of the maize plant of  claim 22 , wherein the seed, tissue, or plant part comprises a mutation in the dmr6 gene and has a reduced level or reduced activity of the DMR6 protein of SEQ ID NO: 83.