The higher growth activity of transgenic plants was correlated with enhanced levels of free
and bound IAA. The specific activity of UDPG-transferase was higher in transgenic potato as well.
The intensities of transpiration and photosynthesis were higher in leaves of transgenic potato
than in nontransformed control potato leaves (Table 5).
Table 5. The transpiration, stomata conductivity and photosynthesis of nontransformed and
transgenic potato cv. Borodyanski
Variant Transpiration Gas conductivity Photosynthesis
(mmol/m2 /s) (mol/m2 /s) (µmol/m2 /s)
May 29 PAR = 1000 1200 µmol/m2/s To C 22-23
Nontransformed 7.75±0.45 0.79±0.15 11.09±4.66
Transgenic 8.73±0.28 0.99±0.14 16.67±0.32
June 1 PAR = 1000 1200 µmol/m2 /s To C 23-24
Nontransformed 5.72±0.30 0.35±0.02 10.00±0.43
Transgenic 8.47±0.50 1.13±0.35 15.40±0.66
July 1 PAR = 1000-1200 µmol/m2 /s To C 25-26
Nontransfomed 6.35±0.03 0.40±0.02 6.60±0.51
Transgenic 9.05±0.05 0.57±0.41 16.60±1.89
The yield of potato tubers in nontransformed and transgenic plants is presented in Table 6.
Table 6. Masses of tuber harvest in nontransformed and transgenic potato (kg per plant)
Variant Plants in row Average
1 2 3 4 5 6
Summer 2000
Nontransformed 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.4±0.2
Transgenic 4.2 3.6 3.2 2.5 2.4 2.3 3.0±0.8
Summer 2001
Nontransformed 4.0 3.9 3.9 3.3 3.2 3.0 3.6±0.4
Transgenic 7.1 6.0 5.8 4.3 3.4 3.0 4.9±1.5
In summer 2001 the field conditions for testing were improved and tubers were planted in squares
85x90 cm instead of 70x70 cm as in summer 2000. Plants in beds were better fertilized as well. Perhaps
due to this agrotechnical improvement the yield in both transgenic and nontransformed plants was higher in
2001 than in 2000. However, the maximum harvest was significantly higher in transgenic potato in
comparison to nontransformed ones.
The highest copy numbers of the gene ugt was found in sprouts grown up after
transformation of potato tubers in comparison with nontransformed tubers and sprouts (Figure 1, A
and B). But some homologous sequences were present in nontransformed potato which hybridized
with primers to the gene ugt.
The expression of target gene ugt was studied via RT-PCR techniquess (Figure 1, C). There
were distinct bands of about 1800 bp in transgenic sprouts at the same levels as in RNA from E. coli
with pBluescript carrying the gene ugt. But there were no bands in nontransformed sprouts of potato
or in variant with only
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