A 748 nucleotides cDNA fragment corresponding to the 3' terminal of physalis mottle virus, PhMV (formerly known as belladonna mottle virus) (#Y16104) genomic RNA encompassing the tymobox, coat protein ORF and 3' noncoding region was cloned into the binary vector pKYLX 71 35 S2 and introduced into N. tabacum cv. Havana plants using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The R0 transgenic plants showed accumulation of coat protein which self-assembled into capsids in vivo. The transgenic R1 and R2 plants showed delay in symptom expression and virus accumulation upon challenge with PhMV. 55 and 65% of the plants showed no detectable symptoms in the R1 and R2 transgenic plants respectively, when challenged with 10 μg/ml virus. Further, no detectable symptoms were observed in 75% and 25% of the R1 and R2 transgenic plants respectively, after 50 days of post infection when challenged with 10 μg/ml RNA. Thus the expression of PhMV coat protein and 3' noncoding sequence confers a high level of resistance against PhMV infection