Insect resistance induction in transgenic potato and eggplant using Bt genes
Bacillus thuringiensis genes codifying for coleopteran (cry 1Ab) and lepidopteran (cry 3b) specific toxins were modified in vitro to improve expression in dicotyledons plants. Such new genes, cloned into specific expression vectors, were introduced into plants via Agrobacterium tumefaciens and potato and eggplant expressing high level of toxins have been produced. Potato transgenic clones have been evaluated in field tests in 1995 and in 1997 in different areas located in Southern Italy.

Virus resistance in transgenic potato and tomato  
Potato plants resistant to Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV) and to Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid (PSTVd) have been obtained by genetic transformation with PLRV "Coat Protein" gene and with PSTVd antisense RNA. Breeding programs were carried out to combine double resistance (ie. Insects and viruses) in the same genome.
Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) transgenic tomato plants were produced using three different approaches. Tomato tissues were infected by Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformed with a binary vector containing:

• a gene derived from the coat protein gene;
• some RNA2 deletion mutants;
• ribozymes against RNA 1 and 2 of the virus.