nontransformed plants. The amount of IAA released after mild alkali hydrolysis was 4.4 times
greater in T1 transgenic than in nontransformed seedlings. However, the amount of IAA released
after strong hydrolysis was about the same in both types of seedlings. Neverthless the total IAA
content was 1.4 times higher in transgenic T1 seedlings compared to nontransformed T1 seedlings.
Table 4. The contents of free and bound IAA in nontransformed and transgenic seedlings T1 of
tomato cv. Ventura (ng per g fr wt)
Variant
Free IAA
After hydrolysis
in 1 N NaOH
After hydrolysis
In 7N NaOH
Total content
of IAA
Nontransformed
15.74±1.89
14.99±1.10
138.28±2.17
168.98±4.51
Transgenic plant
31.40±7.06
65.08±6.15
147.01±17.54
243.49±10.25
A morphometric analysis of adult plants grown in the greenhouse is presented in Table 5.
Both types of plants were grown in conditions adjusted to agricultural production with four plants per
square meter of earth. Transgenic T1 tomatoes were larger and taller with many stems covered with
broader leaves of about 3 times size of nontransgenic ones. The yield per square meter was 33%
higher from transgenic T1 plants compared to nontransformed plants under conditions close to
industrial agriculture.
Table 5. A morphometric analysis of nontransformed and transgenic tomatoes T1 cv. Ventura
Variant
Mass of
plant (kg)
Stem
number
Stem
length, (cm)
Mass of
one leaf
(g)
Mean leaf
area (cm2)
Yield
(kg/m2)
Nontransformed 1,38±0,76 5,50±1,50 77,25±10,13 8,71±3,69
240,79±97,37 8,89
Transgenic
2,91±0,98
11,33±0,47
125,00±5,35
29,27±7,80
772,37±89,37
11,86
It was observed during the growth in the greenhouse that transgenic T1 plants were more
resistant to high temperature and drought. For example, the amount of nonpollinated sterile ovaries
was about 30 per transgenic plant and about 80 per nontransformed plant. The nonpollinated
ovaries formed undeveloped small fruits that then died. The size of the leaves was about 3 times
more on transgenic plants compared to nontransformed plants. It was decided to make a model
experiment in vitro in order to check the osmotic resistance of both types of tomatoes.
Tomato seeds were germinated on agar medium with mineral salts according to Murashige
and Skoog (MS) (1962). After two weeks of growth, cuttings without roots were placed on the same
MS medium containing 0.05 M, or 0.1 M or 0.25 M mannitol, as well 0.6 M indolebutyric acid and 8
mg/l thiamine as hormonal and nutritional additives. After 1 month of maintaining of cuttings on this
medium, the root number and total root length were estimated (Table 6). Without mannitol the root
formation of transgenic cuttings was 2.7 times more active according to root number and 1.9 times
larger in total root length compared to nontransformed roots . At 0.05 M and 0.1 M mannitol, root
formation was more effective in the case of transgenic tomato. At the highest concentration (0.25 M
mannitol) the formation of many thick and short roots was observed in the case of transgenic T1
plants. There was no root formation in nontransgenic cuttings at 0.25 M mannitol in medium.
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