1Department of Botany and Seed Technology, Sahyadri Science College, Kuvempu University, Shimoga-577 451, Karnataka, India
2Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560 056, Karnataka, India
3Crop improvement group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi-110 003, India
Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra, Bangalore-560 056, Karnataka, India
*Corresponding author's e-mail: pcreddy_uas@yahoo.com
Online published on 5 November, 2018.
RNA helicases function as molecular motors that rearrange RNA secondary structure, potentially performing roles in any cellular process involving RNA metabolism in an ATP-dependent manner and play an important role in protein synthesis. Pennisetum glaucum 47 (PG47) RNA helicase overexpressed in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivar GPBD-4 improved drought tolerance. The transgenics plants were confirmed for presence, expression and stable integration by Kanamycin screening, genomic DNA PCR, RT-PCR and Southern analyses respectively. In T3 generation, the promising transgenic events were identified based on stress tolerance and improvement in productivity. The transgenic events showed enhanced stay-green phenotype and increased chlorophyll stability under drought stress. The transgenics also showed reduced chlorophyll retardation under NaCl, PEG and etherel-induced stress conditions. Transgenic plants showed increased yield than wild type under stress conditions. Results suggested that PG47 RNA helicase contributing for enhanced droughtadaptive traits and improved productivity under water-limited conditions.
Drought, Groundnut, Stress tolerance, Yield
