The invention pertains to a plant cell or a plant having one or more mutations in the promoters of both the alleles for CsLOB1 gene, wherein the one or more mutations are in the promoter binding sites for PthA4 protein from Xanthomonas spp., and wherein the one or more mutations reduce or abolish the binding of the Xanthomonas spp. PthA4 protein on to the binding sites in the promoters of the CsLOB1 genes. Also, a plant cell or a plant having one or more mutations in the coding regions of both the alleles for CsLOB1 gene, wherein the one or more mutations reduce or abolish the binding of the function of CsLOB1 protein are provided. The invention further pertains to the methods of making the plant cell or the plant resistant to infection by Xanthomonas spp.