Résumé
Ethylene response factor 1 ( ERF 1) is an essential integrator of the jasmonate and ethylene signalling pathways coordinating a large number of genes involved in plant defences. Its orthologue in Hevea brasiliensis , Hb ERF ‐ IX c5 , has been assumed to play a major role in laticifer metabolism and tolerance to harvesting stress for better latex production. This study sets out to establish and characterize rubber transgenic lines overexpressing Hb ERF ‐ IX c5 . Overexpression of Hb ERF ‐ IX c5 dramatically enhanced plant growth and enabled plants to maintain some ecophysiological parameters in response to abiotic stress such as water deficit, cold and salt treatments. This study revealed that Hb ERF ‐ IX c5 has rubber‐specific functions compared to Arabidopsis ERF 1 as transgenic plants overexpressing Hb ERF ‐ IX c5 accumulated more starch and differentiated more latex cells at the histological level. The role of Hb ERF ‐ IX c5 in driving the expression of some target genes involved in laticifer differentiation is discussed.