Engineering drought-tolerant apple by knocking down six GH3 genes and potential application of transgenic apple as a rootstock.

ABSTRACT: Drought poses a major threat to apple fruit production and quality. Because of the apple's long juvenile phase, developing varieties with improved drought tolerance using biotechnology approaches is needed. Here, we used the RNAi approach to knock down six GH3 genes in the apple. Under prolonged drought stress, the MdGH3 RNAi plants performed better than wild-type plants and had stronger root systems, higher root-to-shoot ratio, greater hydraulic conductivity, increased photosynthetic capacity, and increased water use efficiency. Moreover, MdGH3 RNAi plants promoted the drought tolerance of the scion when they were used as rootstock, compared with wild-type and M9-T337 rootstocks. Scions grafted onto MdGH3 RNAi plants showed increased plant height, stem diameter

SUBMITTER: Jiang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9347023 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature