Resistance of transgenic tall fescue to two major fungal diseases

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is an open-pollinated, perennial, cool-season turf and forage grass species of great economic importance. The main problems of maintenance of tall fescue, and many other turfgrasses, are two severe fungal diseases: gray leaf spot caused by Magnaporthe grisea, and brown patch caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Three genes from various sources have been introduced into two elite cultivars, ‘Coronado’ and ‘Matador’, of tall fescue through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, and conferred resistance to the diseases. Two genes, the alfalfa β-1,3-glucanase AGLU1 gene and a truncated frog dermaseptin SI gene, conferred resistance to both diseases. The rice Pi9 gene was specific against gray leaf spot. Of 15 T0 transgenic plants examined, 6 showed high levels of resistance to M. grisea, and 3 had enhanced resistance to R. solani. The resistance in most of these cases was highly significant.