THE ROOTING ABILITY OF ROLB TRANSFORMED CLONES OF THE APPLE ROOTSTOCK M26 AND ITS RELATION TO GENE EXPRESSION

In our previous study, two transformed clones (C and F) of the apple rootstock M26 (Malus x domestica Borkh.) with the rolB gene were obtained.
Both clones had one copy of the rol B gene.
In this study, the rolB gene expression was analysed in shoots and roots from the two clones C and F in comparison with the untransformed plants.
The Northern analysis showed a higher gene expression of the rolB gene in the clone F compared to the clone C, especially in the roots.
The ex vitro rooting experiment with conventional cuttings from untransformed and rolB (F clone) plants grown in the greenhouse showed that both rooting percentage and root number per rooted cutting were higher for the rolB plants than for the untransformed plants.
These findings are consistent with the previous in vitro rooting experiments which showed that the rooting ability was higher for the clone F than the clone C. These results suggest that the rooting ability is correlated with the rolB gene expression.

XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 11: Application of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology and Breeding – Gene Expression and Molecular Breeding, Genome Analysis.

M. Welander, L.H. Zhu

rolB gene, gene expression, Malus, rooting, rootstock M26

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.521.14