Agronomic performance of transgenic burley tobaccos expressing TVMV or AMV coat protein genes with and without virus challenges

• Published in: Crop science 1999-07, Vol.39 (4), p.1195-1202
• Main Authors: Xu, D, Collins, G.B, Hunt, A.G, Nielsen, M.T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: agronomic traits; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Alfalfa; Alfalfa mosaic virus; Biological and medical sciences; coat protein; coat proteins; CP gene; crop yield; diameter; experimental infections; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene expression; Genes; Genetic engineering; genetic variation; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; height; leaves; Nicotiana tabacum; Pest resistance; plant characteristics; Plant pathogens; Plant viruses; Proteins; size; stems; Tobacco; Tobacco mosaic virus; Tobacco vein mottling virus; transgenic plants; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; Virus diseases of plants; Viruses; yield losses
• ISSN: 0011-183X; 1435-0653
• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci1999.0011183X003900040040x

Eighty transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) lines expressing either the tobacco vein mottling virus (TVMV) coat protein (CP) gene or the alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) CP gene were evaluated for their agronomic performance with or without virus challenge. All TVMV CP lines were characterized previously for their virus resistance following challenge with three different potyviruses. In the absence of virus challenge, the cured leaf yield of more than 80% of the TVMV CP lines was not significantly different from their nontransgenic counterparts; half of the poor performing lines were in one of the live genetic backgrounds. Similarly, most of the negative variation for yield among the AMV CP transgenic lines was within a single genetic background. Variation for other agronomic traits, including plant height, leaf size, and stalk diameter closely followed the results for yield. Following virus challenge, cured leaf yield of the most resistant transgenic lines was similar to the non-challenged treatment. Among the AMV CP transgenic lines, yield loss following challenge with AMV was reduced from 22 to 30%. These results suggest that the primary selection criterion in a population of transgenic tobacco lines containing a viral CP gene should be for virus resistance, but it must be recognized that variation for agronomic performance may exist among the resistant selections, particularly in some genetic backgrounds.