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. 2020 Apr 2;11(2):97-112.
doi: 10.1080/21645698.2019.1709383. Epub 2020 Jan 6.

Enhanced yield performance of transgenic cry1C* rice in saline-alkaline soil

Jianmei Fu  1   2 , Biao Liu  1
Affiliations

Enhanced yield performance of transgenic cry1C* rice in saline-alkaline soil

Jianmei Fu et al. GM Crops Food. .

Abstract

China has a large area of saline-alkaline land that can be utilized for the cultivation of transgenic rice. Therefore, the growth and reproductive behavior of transgenic rice are not only a problem for production that needs to be resolved, but also an important aspect of environmental risk assessment for saline alkali soil. In the present study, an insect-resistant transgenic cry1C* rice, T1C-19, was grown in farmland and saline-alkaline soils. The transcription and translation of the exogenous cry1C*, and vegetative and reproductive fitness, such as plant height, tiller number, biomass, filled grain number and weight per plant, were assessed. Our findings indicated that the transcription and translation of exogenous cry1C* gene in T1C-19 rice grown in saline-alkaline soil were lower than that grown in farmland; however, the correlation was not significant. The vegetative and reproductive growth abilities of T1C-19 were lower than that of the parental rice, Minghui63 (MH63), in farmland. In alkaline-saline soil, except for tiller number and biomass, there were no significant differences between T1C-19 and MH63 in other vegetative indices. In contrast, the reproductive indices of T1C-19 were significantly higher than those of MH63. The results suggested that T1C-19 had a strong reproductive capacity, and significantly reduced the loss of yield caused by insects, thereby leading to a higher yield than that of MH63 grown in saline-alkaline soils. This may promote the cultivation of saline-alkaline soil to permit farming of T1C-19 in China in the future, despite the possible increased ecological risks.

Keywords: Fitness; Saline-alkaline soil; T1C-19 rice; Transcription and translation of cry1C*; Vegetative and reproductive growth abilities.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The transcription and translation of exogenous cry1C* gene in T1C-19 rice leaf grown in farmland and saline-alkaline soils at five stages (T1: Tillering, T2: Jointing, T3: Heading, T4: Filling, T5: Maturing); Farmland soil values with * and ** were significantly different from those of the saline-alkaline soil according to the t-test (P < .05 and P < .01, respectively) in the leaf; a, b, c, and d indicated significant differences between the five growth stages of T1C-19 rice leaf grown on the same soil according to Duncan’s multiple range test (P < .05).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Plant heights (mean ± SEM) of T1C-19 rice and MH63 rice at four stages grown in farmland and saline-alkaline soils. The values of T1C-19 rice with * and ** were significantly different from those of MH63 according to the t-test (P < .05 and P < .01, respectively).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Tiller number per plant (mean ± SEM) of T1C-19 and MH63 rice at four stages grown in farmland and saline-alkaline soils. The values of T1C-19 rice with ** were significantly different from those of MH63 rice according to the t-test (P < .01).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Flag leaf length (mean ± SEM), width (mean ± SEM), and area index (mean ± SEM) of T1C-19 and MH63 rice grown in farmland and saline-alkaline soils. (a,d,h). Heading stage; (b,e,i). Filling stage; (c,f,j). Maturing stage. The values of T1C-19 rice with ** were significantly different from those of MH63 rice according to the t-test (P < .01).
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
SPAD indices (mean ± SEM) of T1C-19 and MH63 rice grown in farmland and saline-alkaline soils. (a). Heading stage, (b). Filling stage, and (c). Maturing stage. The values of T1C-19 rice with ** were significantly different from those of MH63 rice according to the t-test (P < .01).
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Biomass (mean ± SEM) of T1C-19 and MH63 rice grown in farmland and saline-alkaline soils at four stages. The values of T1C-19 rice with * and ** were significantly different from those of MH63 rice according to the t-test (P < .05 and P < .01, respectively).
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Reproductive traits (mean ± SEM) of T1C-19 rice and MH63 rice grown on farmland and saline-alkaline soils. The values of T1C-19 rice with * and ** were significantly different from those of MH63 rice according to the t-test (P < .05 and P < .01, respectively).
Figure 8.
Figure 8.
Higher fitness benefit in saline-alkaline soil and lower fitness cost in farmland soil of transgenic T1C-19 rice compared to parental MH63 rice.
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