Abstract: Fusarium and Verticillium wilt are two important diseases in cotton in the world. Traditional breeding method does not have resistance germplasm. Chitinase and -1,3-glucanase are two factors with synogestic effects involved in the plant defense system. Based on this fact, a series of plant expression vectors either harboring chitinase gene or -1,3-glucanase gene or both were constructed. The two genes are expected to be expressed and localized in vacuole or in extra-cellular space. The transformation of cotton was conducted by pollen-tube pathway method. Molecular analysis of transgenic cotton plants by polymerase chain reaction and Southern hybridization, and successive repeated selection of transgenic cotton lines in greenhouse and fungi-infected nurseries during the period of 1996-2000 demonstrated that the transgenic cotton lines with Fusarium wilt and Verticillium wilt resistance were obtained. Meanwhile, the above anti-fungal genes have been integrated into insect-resistant cotton variety GK19 which resulted in the development of transgenic lines resistant to both cotton boll worm as well as Fusarium and Verticillium wilt.

Key words: Chitinase gene, 3-glucanase gene, Transgenic cotton, Fusarium and Verticillium wilt resistance