A PLANT AND METHOD OF MODIFICATION

摘要

A method of modifying a plant to increase vegetative growth of commercially valuable plant structures at the expense of non-essential and non-commercial structures is provided. From reproductive tissues of both Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus grandis, cDNA were isolated corresponding to genes which were specifically expressed during early development in both male and female plant structures. The promoter regions to these genes were isolated from respective genomic DNAs and fused to a structural gene for a bacterial ribonuclease, Barnase. In a variation of the method, an expression control system was used to control promoter leakage. Gene constructs were also prepared which expressed anti-sense forms of essential MADS box genes for these plants. Candidate gene constructs were used to transform shoot-forming tissues of target eucalypt and pine species. Explants from successful transformants were assessed for incorporation of the gene constructs and production of sterile plants.