USE OF THE COFFEE HOMEOBOX GENE CAHB12 TO PRODUCE TRANSGENIC PLANTS WITH GREATER TOLERANCE TO WATER SCARCITY AND SALT STRESS

摘要

The proposed innovation relates to the biotechnological improvement of plant species of commercial interest. More specifically, the present invention relates to the production of transgenic plants with greater tolerance to water scarcity and salt stress by means of the expression of a new gene of coffee (of the Coffea arabica species), belonging to the HD-Zip family, and characterised by a homeodomain associated with a leucine zipper. The expression of this transcriptional factor is induced in leaves and roots of coffee plants subjected to various water scarcity conditions (both moderate and severe); transgenic plants that over-express this gene exhibit greater tolerance both to different drought intensities and to high salt concentrations.