Evaluation of the protection aganst Pelargonium containing a chimaeric cecropin gene

The phytopathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. pelargonii causes severe losses in vegetatively propagated Pelargonium cultivars. Symptoms are characterized by wilting of the plant, localized water-soaked lesions and stem rot (1) To overcome this problem horticulturists have to produce Xanthomonas-free planting material in insect-proof greenhouses after indexing the propagating stocks, which is expensive and time consuming. All commercial cultivars of pelargonium are susceptible to Xanthomonas and no source of resistance is known in the compatible Pelargonium germplasm. Thus, attempts were initiated to obtain Xanthomonas resistant plants by a transgenic approach.