Method of increasing resistance against soybean rust in transgenic plants by increasing the scoparone

Plant or plant cell, comprising a nucleic acid for expression of a heterologous OMT3 protein, and optionally further comprising one or more further genes for expression of a heterologous protein selected from 4-Coumarate-Coenzyme A ligase, ferulate 6-hydroxylase, CYP199A2, COSY, CCoAOMT, ABCG37 and UGT71C1.

Method for conferring, increasing or modifying resistance in a plant, a plant part, or a plant cell as compared to a wild type plant, a wild type plant part or a wild type plant cell against soybean rust, comprising the step of

• a) increasing the production and/or accumulation of scoparone, and optionally scopoletin and/or a derivative thereof, in the plant, plant part, or plant cell in comparison to a wild type plant, wild type plant part, or wild type plant cell, and/or
• b) increasing the expression and/or activity of an OMT3 enzyme in a transgenic plant, plant part or plant cell, wherein the transgenic plant, plant part or plant cell comprises a metabolic pathway for the production of esculetin and/or scopoletin and/or isoscopoletin.

(canceled)

Method of identifying an agent for conferring, increasing or modifying resistance of a plant, plant part or plant cell as compared to a wild type plant, wild type plant part or wild type plant cell against infections by a fungus of the class Basidiomycota, wherein the method comprises the steps of

• i) applying a putative agent to a plant, plant part or plant cell exhibiting a desired degree of resistance against said fungus,
• ii) determining expression by the plant, plant part or plant cell of an OMT3 polypeptide, and iii) selecting the agent of step i) if application of the agent in step i) leads to an increase of expression of a polypeptide as determined in step ii).

Soybean plant, plant part or plant cell coated with scoparone.