India
January 8, 2008
Source:
Source: The Financial
Express via
Checkbiotech
By Ashok B Sharma, New Delhi
The
Field Research Laboratory of India's
Defence Research Development
Organisation (DRDO) has developed a transgenic tomato for
growing in the cold desert regions of Ladhak.
“This transgenic tomato is in the fourth generation and after
its fifth generation, it would be subjected to controlled trials
under the supervision of the Review Committee on Genetic
Manipulation (RCGM),” said the chief controller of R&D in life
sciences in DRDO, W Selvamurthy at a plenary session in the 95
th Indian Science Congress here on Monday.
He said that care has been taken to make the transgenic tomato
resistant to cold temperatures below 20 degree Celsius and water
stress conditions of the region.
According to Selvamurthy, the Pusa Ruby tomato has been
introgressed with Osmotin gene through agro-bacterium mediated
genetic transformation to enhance inbuilt cold stress tolerance.
In vitro selection against selectable marker Kanamycin and PCR
analysis of regenerated tomato plantlets for promoter (CaMV),
Kanamycin (npt-II) and Osmotin gene has confirmed the gene
integration.
Further confirmation of integration of Osmotic gene has been
done by Southern Blot and Western Blot techniques.
The T1 plants along with control have also been screened for
tolerance to cold stress at a temperature of 3 degree C for
three and half days and then exposed to ambient temperature.
The morpho-logical, physiological and biochemical studies are
underway on these transformed plants. The confirmed lines are
being advanced and are under process of evaluation for different
agronomically important parameters, he said.
© 2008: Indian Express
Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. |
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Field Research Laboratory
(FRL) is located in the cold
desert region of Jammu and
Kashmir. This region is
popularly known as Ladakh.
Geo-climatic conditions of the
region are not suitable for
agriculture. FRL is engaged in
development of appropriate
agro-technologies for the
region. |
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