Modified gene conferring virus resistance

The present invention relates to modified RDR1 gene capable of conferring virus resistance to a plant and/or increasing virus resistance in a plant， which modification results in enhanced expression of the RDR1 gene， and wherein the modification is selected from a modification that increases the mRNA level of the RDR1 gene; a modification that increases the level of the RDR1 protein; and/or a modification that increases the activity of the RDR1 protein， as compared to a non-modified wild-type RDR1 gene. The modification may comprise a modification upstream of the coding sequence of the RDR1 gene， such as a modification of a regulatory element， preferably of a cis-acting regulatory element. The modified regulatory element is for example selected from a transcription factor binding site for a transcriptional repressor， the modification of which leads to reduction or absence of transcriptional repression; and/or a transcription factor binding site for a transcriptional activator， the modification of which leads to induction or enhancement of transcription; and/or a microRNA binding site， the modification of which leads to reduction or absence of gene repression; and/or a small RNA sequence， the modification of which leads to reduction or absence of gene repression.