Potential gene flow from transgenic rice (Oryza sativa L.) to different weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea) accessions based on reproductive compatibility

BACKGROUND: The possibility of gene flow from transgenic crops to wild relatives may be affected by reproductive capacity between them. The potential gene flow from two transgenic rice lines containing the bar gene to five accessions of weedy rice (WR1–WR5) was determined through examination of reproductive compatibility under controlled pollination. RESULTS: The pollen grain germination of two transgenic rice lines on the stigma of all weedy rice, rice pollen tube growth down the style and entry into the weedy rice ovary were similar to self‐pollination in weedy rice. However, delayed double fertilisation and embryo abortion in crosses between WR2 and Y0003 were observed. Seed sets between transgenic rice lines and weedy rice varied from 8 to 76%. Although repeated pollination increased seed set significantly, the rank of the seed set between the weedy rice accessions and rice lines was not changed. The germination rates of F₁ hybrids were similar or greater compared with respective females. All F₁ plants expressed glufosinate resistance in the presence of glufosinate selection pressure. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of gene flow between different weedy rice accessions and transgenic herbicide‐resistant rice may differ owing to different reproductive compatibility. This result suggests that, when wild relatives are selected as experimental materials for assessing the gene flow of transgenic rice, it is necessary to address the compatibility between transgenic rice and wild relatives. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Gene flow from weedy red rice (Oryza sativa L.) to cultivated rice and fitness of hybrids

BACKGROUND: Gene transfer from weeds to crops could produce weedy individuals that might impact upon the evolutionary dynamics of weedy populations, the persistence of escaped genes in agroecosystems and approaches to weed management and containment of transgenic crops. The present aim was to quantify the gene flowrate from weedy red rice to cultivated rice, and evaluate the morphology, phenology and fecundity of resulting hybrids. Field experiments were conducted at Stuttgart and Rohwer, Arkansas, USA. Twelve red rice accessions and an imazethapyr‐resistant rice (Imi‐R; Clearfield^?) were used. RESULTS: Hybrids between Imi‐R rice × red rice were 138–150 cm tall and flowered 1–5 days later than the rice parent, regardless of the red rice parent. Hybrids produced 20–50% more seed than the rice parent, but had equivalent seed production to the majority of red rice parents. Seeds of all hybrids were red, pubescent and dehisced at maturity. For the majority of hybrids, seed germination was higher than that of the red rice parent. The gene flowrate from red rice to rice was 0.01–0.2% and differed by red rice biotype. The hybrids had higher fecundity and potential competitive ability than the rice parent, and in some cases also the red rice parent. CONCLUSIONS: Red rice plants are vectors of gene flow back to cultivated rice and other weedy populations. The progeny of red rice hybrids from cultivated rice mother plants have higher chances of persistence than those from red rice mother plants. Gene flow mitigation strategies should consider this scenario. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

A strategy to provide long‐term control of weedy rice while mitigating herbicide resistance transgene flow,and its potential use for other crops with related weeds

Transgenic herbicide‐resistant rice is needed to control weeds that have evolved herbicide resistance, as well as for the weedy (feral, red) rice problem, which has been exacerbated by shifting to direct seeding throughout the world—firstly in Europe and the Americas, and now in Asia, as well as in parts of Africa. Transplanting had been the major method of weedy rice control. Experience with imidazolinone‐resistant rice shows that gene flow to weedy rice is rapid, negating the utility of the technology. Transgenic technologies are available that can contain herbicide resistance within the crop (cleistogamy, male sterility, targeting to chloroplast genome, etc.), but such technologies are leaky. Mitigation technologies tandemly couple (genetically link) the gene of choice (herbicide resistance) with mitigation genes that are neutral or good for the crop, but render hybrids with weedy rice and their offspring unfit to compete. Mitigation genes confer traits such as non‐shattering, dwarfism, no secondary dormancy and herbicide sensitivity. It is proposed to use glyphosate and glufosinate resistances separately as genes of choice, and glufosinate, glyphosate and bentazone susceptibilities as mitigating genes, with a six‐season rotation where each stage kills transgenic crop volunteers and transgenic crop × weed hybrids from the previous season. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Pink‐awned weedy rice (Oryza sativa): a potential conduit for gene exchange in rice agro‐ecosystems

Hybridisation between genetically distinct lineages results in increases in overall genetic diversity and is a potential mechanism for the origin and spread of adaptive alleles. Weed and crop hybridisation may result in weedy ecotypes, which have, in addition to classic weedy traits such as seed shattering and long seed dormancy, crop traits that enhance weediness, such as adaptation to field cultivation and harvest strategies. Weedy rice (Oryza sativa) hybridises with cultivated rice and, in the process, may produce new (pink‐awned) weedy rice varieties. Pink‐awned (PA) weedy rice plants have been observed in rice fields in Arkansas. We explored the genetic relationships between PA weedy rice, crop rice, global rice accessions and other weedy rice ecotypes present in the southern United States. Gene sequencing of 48 sequence‐tagged sites (STS loci) revealed a pattern of hybridisation and gene flow between blackhull weedy rice and tropical japonica rice (O. sativa subsp. japonica) cultivars. Our data suggest that PA rice originates from hybridisation between blackhull weedy rice and tropical japonica rice. PA rice offspring segregate phenotypic traits associated with weediness in rice. This segregation could lead to adaptive allele combinations in PA rice, which could potentially move into other weedy rice types through subsequent hybridisation events.     

转cryAb基因克螟稻对水稻白叶枯病和纹枯病的抗性评价

转cryAb基因克螟稻对水稻白叶枯病、纹枯病的抗病性在田间进行了人工接种鉴定,根据亲本材料秀水11及2个转基因材料克螟稻1号(KMD1)和克螟稻2号(KMD2)的发病情况,初步明确两个转基因材料的抗病性与亲本存在显著的差异,对白叶枯病的抗性比亲本材料有所上升,但对纹枯病的抗性则不如亲本秀水11。     

转Bt基因抗虫稻谷对麦蛾的抗性评价

麦蛾Sitotroga cerealella Olivier是我国重要的储粮害虫.为系统评价转基因抗虫稻谷对麦蛾的影响,采用室内饲养的生物测定方法,在28±1℃、75%±5%RH条件下,对麦蛾在含水量14%～15%的无虫转Bt基因抗虫稻谷KMD1及其对照品种秀水11中的存活率、子代数、稻谷损失率、敏感系数及各发育指标等进行比较.结果表明:转Bt基因抗虫稻谷对麦蛾具有显著抗性,取食转Bt基因抗虫稻谷的麦蛾羽化率仅为对照的13%,且各发育指标均显著降低,转Bt基因抗虫稻谷的损失率仅为对照的12%,Dobie敏感系数显著低于对照,对麦蛾表现为高抗.     

cryIA(b)基因及其介导的抗性在转基因水稻中的遗传

研究了cryLA(b)基因及其介导的抗虫性在转基因水稻自交或回交后代中的遗传规律和遗传稳定性。结果表明：cryLA(b)基因及其连锁的bar基因作为一个显性遗传位点遵循孟德尔遗传分离规律；在T1代群体中遵循3：1的分离规律，T2代稳定纯合；在BC11～BC4代群体中遵循1：1的分离规律，BC群体自交的BCF9群体中遵循3：1分离规律。cryLA(b)基因及其介导抗性已稳定地遗传至T7代和BC4代。室内及田间抗虫性鉴定显示，不同世代的转基因植株均保持稳定的高度抗虫性。     

干旱胁迫下转甜菜碱醛脱氢酶基因水稻花后生理特性及产量构成

在干旱胁迫条件下,对转甜菜碱醛脱氢酶(BADH)基因水稻品系51-22、51-15,受体亲本中花8号(ck1),旱297(ck2)等4个品种(系)开花后剑叶的丙二醛含量、SOD酶活性、脯氨酸含量和24h失水率进行了测定分析。结果表明:在开花后10~25d,两个转BADH基因水稻品系的MDA含量均低于中花8号和旱297;开花后5~15d,4个品种(系)的SOD酶活性呈现逐渐上升趋势,而后迅速下降。在开花后10~25d,两个转BADH基因水稻品系的SOD酶活性显著高于中花8号;两个转BADH基因水稻品系的脯氨酸含量的变化虽不稳定,但显著高于中花8号;两个转BADH基因品系24h失水率均低于中花8号。相关分析表明:MDA含量、SOD酶活性和脯氨酸(Pro)含量存在一定程度的线性负相关,SOD酶活性与脯氨酸(Pro)含量存在显著线性正相关;MDA含量与稻谷产量呈显著线性负相关;SOD酶活性、脯氨酸(Pro)含量与稻谷产量呈线性正相关,但未达显著。     

Insect resistance to Nilaparvata lugens and Cnaphalocrocis medinalis in transgenic indica rice and the inheritance of gna+sbti transgenes

Molecular genetic analysis and insect bioassay of transgenic indica rice 'Zhuxian B' plants carrying snowdrop lectin gene (gna) and soybean trypsin inhibitor gene (sbti) were investigated in detail. PCR, 'dot' blot and PCR-Southern blot analysis showed that both transgenes had been incorporated into the rice genome and transmitted up to R3 progeny in most lines tested. Some transgenic lines exhibited Mendelian segregation, but the other showed either 1:1 (positive: negative for the transgenes) or other aberrant segregation patterns. The segregation patterns of gna gene crossed between R2 and R3 progeny. In half of transgenic R3 lines, gna and sbti transgenes co-segregated. Two independent homozygous lines expressing double transgenes were identified in R3 progeny. Southern blot analysis demonstrated that the copy numbers of integrated gna and sbti transgenes varied from one to ten in different lines. Insect bioassay data showed that most transgenic plants had better resistance to both Nilaparvata lugens (Stahl) and Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee) than wild-type plants. The insect resistance of transgenic lines increased with the increase in transgene positive ratio in most of the transgenic lines. In all, we obtained nine lines of R3 transgenic plants, including one pure line, which had better resistance to both N lugens and C medinalis than wild-type plants.     

四川水稻不同生育阶段的干旱风险评估

水稻是四川最主要的粮食作物,而干旱是制约水稻生产的主要因素,四川省春旱、夏旱和伏旱灾害频发,常导致水稻减产。本研究基于气象资料、水稻灾情史料和生育期资料,选取湿润指数距平率作为水稻干旱指标,构建了四川水稻干旱等级,并利用灾情样本进行了验证。在此基础上,分析了1961-2015年四川水稻不同种植区不同生育阶段的干旱时空变化特征及风险分布状况。结果表明:从时间变化看,近55年来,水稻移栽～孕穗期干旱总站数平均每10年增多0.56个,其中轻旱和重旱平均每10年分别增多0.20个和0.41个,而中旱基本不变;孕穗～开花期干旱总站数平均每10年减少0.49个,其中中旱和重旱平均每10年均减少0.22个,而轻旱基本不变;开花～成熟期干旱总站数平均每10年增多0.54个,其中轻旱和重旱平均每10年分别增多0.23个和0.55个,而中旱基本不变。干旱频率的分布特征为:移栽～孕穗期的干旱频率呈现中部高、西南部和东北部低的特征,高发区主要分布在北部的绵阳-南部的宜宾一线(36%～58.2%);孕穗～开花期的干旱频率由西向东递增,高发区主要分布在盆地北部和东北部(36%～61.9%);开花～成熟期的干旱频率呈由西向东递增的趋势,高发区主要分布在盆地东北部和盆南的局部地区(30%～47.3%)。水稻干旱风险分布为:移栽～孕穗期较高风险区和高风险区主要集中在德阳、资阳和宜宾等地;孕穗～开花期较高风险区和高风险区主要在盆地中部和东北部;开花～成熟期较高风险区和高风险区主要在盆地东北部和盆南的局部地区。     

Constitutive expression of a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase gene from Stylosanthes humilis in transgenic tobacco leads to enhanced disease resistance but impaired plant growth

Transgenic tobacco plants expressing a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase cDNA (ShPAL), isolated from Stylosanthes humilis, under the control of the 35S promoter of the cauliflower mosaic virus were produced to test the effect of high level PAL expression on disease resistance. The transgenic plants showed up to eight-fold PAL activity and were slowed in growth and flowering relative to non-transgenic controls which have segregated out the transgene. The expression of the ShPAL transgene and elevated PAL levels were correlated and stably inherited. In T₁ and T₂ tobacco plants with increased PAL activity, lesion expansion was significantly reduced by up to 55% on stems inoculated with the Oomycete pathogen Phytophthora parasitica pv. nicotianae. Lesion area was significantly reduced by up to 50% on leaves inoculated with the fungal pathogen Cercospora nicotianae. This study provides further evidence that PAL has a role in plant defence.