Methods for the identification of genes involved in abiotic stress tolerance in plants

摘要

Methods are described for the identification of genes useful for conferring tolerance in plants to abiotic stress. Transgenic plants and seeds comprising the stress tolerant genes are also described. Methods to monitor the growth rate of the transgenic plants under stressed or non-stressed conditions are also described.

主权项

1. A method of selecting seeds from at least one transgenic plant line with general osmotic stress tolerance, the method comprising the steps of:
a. obtaining seeds from at least one transgenic plant line comprising at least one heterologous polynucleotide sequence; b. subjecting the seeds to osmotic stress by placing them on media comprising four osmolytes, wherein the four osmolytes are sodium chloride, mannitol, sorbitol and polyethylene glycol, and the osmotic pressure exerted by the four osmolytes in the media is in the range of 0.4-1.23 MPa; and c. selecting seeds that show an increased percentage seedling emergence when compared to seeds from a control plant, wherein the control plant does not comprise the at least one heterologous polynucleotide sequence, and wherein the seeds from the control plant are subjected to the same osmotic stress as in part (b).