Genetic transformation of Populus tomentosa to improve salt tolerance

Abstract

Soil salinity can be a limiting factor for productivity in agriculture and forestry. In order to fully utilize saline lands productively in plantation forestry for pulp production, the genetic modification of tree species for salt tolerance may be required. The AhDREB1 gene, a DREB-like transcription factor gene, was transferred into Populus tomentosa by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic plants were regenerated and selected using a two-step process; first on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium containing 4.44 µM 6-benzyladenine (BA), 1.61 µM a-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 30 mg 1^-1 kanamycin, and 250 mg 1^-1 ceftomine, and then enhanced selection on medium with 50 mg 1^-1 kanamycin. The putative transformants were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern hybridization for the AhDREB1 gene. Transgenic plants were rooted on half-strength MS medium containing 5.71 µM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 1.61 µM NAA, 2 g 1^-1 sucrose, and 5 g 1^-1 agar. The salt tolerance of transgenic plants in pots in the greenhouse showed a survival rate of 100, 100, 84.4, and 44.4% after watering with a solution of 34.2, 68.4, 102.7, and 136.9 mM NaCl, respectively.

Citation

Du, Ningxia; Liu, Xin; Li, Yun; Chen, Shouyi; Zhang, Jinsong; Ha, Da; Deng, Wenguang; Sun, Chunkui; Zhang, Yingzhi; Pijut, Paula M. 2012. Genetic transformation of Populus tomentosa to improve salt tolerance. Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture. 108: 181-189.