Resistance to <i>Rhizoctonia solani</i> AG‐2‐2 (IIIB) in creeping bentgrass plants transformed with pepper esterase gene <i>PepEST</i>

Abstract

A pepper esterase ( PepEST ) gene was introduced into creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis stolonifera ) by Agrobacterium ‐mediated transformation. Purified recombinant PepEST proteins were sufficient to inhibit the growth of the fungal pathogens Rhizoctonia solani AG2‐2 (IIIB) (causing brown patch) and Sclerotinia homoeocarpa (dollar spot), but not the oomycete responsible for pythium blight, Pythium aphanidermatum . PepEST proteins were most effective against R. solani . After genetic transformation of creeping bentgrass with PepEST , the genomic integration of transgenes bar and PepEST was confirmed by Southern blot analysis, and their expression was also validated by northern blot and western blot analyses. Disease severity on R. solani ‐inoculated leaves of transgenic plants was &lt;10% compared to ca . 50% in non‐transgenic plants. Microscopic observation of infected leaves indicated that PepEST inhibited the growth of hyphae upon fungal infection.