A group of novel rice .beta.-glucanase genes, identified as .beta.-glucanases 2-9 (Gns 2-9), and the corresponding .beta.-glucanase enzymes, are disclosed. The genes, and the gene promoters, are useful in a variety of transgenic monocot plants, for achieving increased plant resistance to fungal infection, improved growth characteristics, and high levels of expression of heterologous protein in various tissues obtained from the plants.