ADVANCES IN APPLE TRANSFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO CONFER RESISTANCE TO FUNGAL DISEASES IN APPLE CROPS: A CHILEAN PERSPECTIVE

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is one of the most consumed fruit in the world. Genetic transformation is a key process to sustain this demand by permitting the potential enhancement of existing cultivars as well as the development of new cultivars resistant to pests, diseases, and storage problems that occur in the major production areas. This review summarizes the advances of genetic engineering applied to the development of resistant apple cultivars to fungus disease, with particular attention in the generation of apples resistant to Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) G.Winter, the main phytosanitary problem that affects apple crops in Chile.