Agronomic characteristics and yield component of Rojolele transgenic rice resistant to Scirpophaga incertulas in biosafety containment

Abstract

This research observes and analyses the agronomic characteristics and yield component of six T8 generation of Rojolele transgenic rice lines (P8, Q20, U10, W3, X22, Y7) harboring Cry1B::Cry1Aa gene fusion conferring resistance to yellow stem borer (Schirphopaga interculas) compared to the nontransgenic Rojolele control plants. The experiment was done in a biosafety containment at the Research Centre for Biotechnology-LIPI in a (4.0 x 3.2) m2 pot with 50 cm spacing amongst lines and 25 cm between plants of the same line with 10 replicates each line. PCR analysis using Cry1B::Cry1Aa specific primer showed that all lines tested were transgenic as shown by the presence of 816 bp amplicon. The W3 transgenic line had the most similar agronomic characteristics to the Rojolele control plants in terms of plant height, leaf length, tiller numbers, stem diameter and flowering time. Yield components of the W3 line such as panicle length and total grains were also the closest to the Rojolele control plants compared to other transgenic lines. However, the number of empty grains was the highest. In general, the agronomic characteristics and yield component of all transgenic lines were less than of the Rojolele control plants.