A method of increasing resistance against fungal pathogens of the order Pucciniales, preferably the family Phacopsoraceae, in plants and/or plant cells is provided. The method comprises increasing the expression of a RLK2 protein or fragment thereof in a plant, plant part and/or plant cell in comparison to wild type plants, wild type plant parts and/or wild type plant cells. And also provided are transgenic plants, plant parts and/or plant cells having an increased resistance against fungal pathogens, in particular, pathogens of the order Pucciniales, preferably the family Phacopsoracease, and recombinant expression vectors comprising a sequence that is identical or homologous to a sequence encoding a RLK2 protein.
