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Expression of the cry1EC gene in castor (Ricinus communis L.) confers field resistance to tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura Fabr) and castor semilooper (Achoea janata L.)

  • Genetic Transformation and Hybridization
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Abstract

Castor (cv. DCS-9) has been transformed through Agrobacterium-mediated and particle gun bombardment methods using appropriate vectors containing the Bt chimeric gene cry1EC driven by enhanced 35S promoter. About 81 and 12 putative transformants were regenerated following selection on hygromycin and kanamycin, respectively. Southern analysis of DNA extracted from T0 plants confirmed integration of the introduced gene in castor genome. The integration and inheritance of the introduced genes was demonstrated up to T4 generation by PCR and Southern analysis. Southern analysis of two events having single and two copies showed the same pattern of integration in the subsequent generations. Insect feeding experiments conducted in the laboratory by releasing neonate larvae of castor semilooper and S. litura on leaf tissues excised from transgenic and control plants showed varying degrees of larval mortality and slow growth in larvae fed on transgenic leaf tissue. Field bioassays against Spodoptera litura and castor semilooper conducted for eight events in T1–T4 generations under net confinement were more informative and events conferring resistance to the two major defoliators were identified.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. N. Seetharama, Director, NRCS, Hyderabad, India for providing field facilities for raising the transgenic castor crop and the Project Director, Directorate of Oilseeds Research for providing all the facilities for carrying out the work. The authors thank D. Lakshmi, D. Subhamani and P. Kanaka Mahalakshmi for their excellent technical help. The financial support from Andhra Pradesh-Netherlands Biotechnology Programme is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Directorate of Oilseeds Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, 500 030, India

    M. Sujatha, M. Lakshminarayana & M. Tarakeswari

  2. National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, 226 001, India

    P. K. Singh & Rakesh Tuli

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  1. M. Sujatha
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  2. M. Lakshminarayana
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  3. M. Tarakeswari
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  4. P. K. Singh
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  5. Rakesh Tuli
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Correspondence to M. Sujatha.

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Communicated by R. Rose.

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Sujatha, M., Lakshminarayana, M., Tarakeswari, M. et al. Expression of the cry1EC gene in castor (Ricinus communis L.) confers field resistance to tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura Fabr) and castor semilooper (Achoea janata L.). Plant Cell Rep 28, 935–946 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-009-0699-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-009-0699-x

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