Destruction of transgenic potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L.) remnants under the influence of soil microbiome

Abstract

Scientific community has been considering various hypotheses regarding the possible impact of GM plants on non-target soil microorganisms for decades, distinguishing direct and indirect effects. Direct effects are usually easier to detect, as transgenic proteins, characterized by a range of elimination against certain types of insects, pathogenic fungi and bacteria, can affect non-target beneficial symbionts and soil microbial groups involved in the transformation of organic substances. Indirect effects are difficult to assess, as many different factors can affect the composition of root exudates and the metabolic activity of plants. Changes in metabolic pathways can affect the composition of soil exudates and gene expression in plant tissues. At the same time, these changes can affect the decomposition of organic matter and the course of microbiological processes in the soil. Based on experimental studies, an assessment of the rate of destruction of plant residues and DNA degradation in transgenic potato plants in soddy-podzolic soil of potato crop rotation was carried out. The results of the studies have established a significant role of the microbiome of soddy-podzolic soil of potato crop rotation in the destruction of residues of transgenic potato plants and DNA degradation. Destruction of residues of transgenic plants under the influence of microflora of soddy-podzolic soil of potato crop rotation was 30 days with a loss of raw mass 87.14±1.11%. DNA degradation over this period is 88% (186 ng/mg) from the initial amount of total DNA, and degradation of nptII and 35S genes — about 90% from their initial amount in PCR products. It was found that about 90% of nptII and 35S genes in DNA residues of transgenic potato plants under the influence of microbiome soddy-podzolic soil occurs on day 30.