Background

Potassium (K) deficiency has become a common field production problem following the widespread adoption of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) worldwide. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether the introduction of Bt gene directly reduces the K-use efficiency of cotton to induce K deficiency.

Results

The cotton variety, Jihe 321 (wild type, WT) and its two Bt (Cry1Ac)-transgenic overexpression lines (OE-29317, OE-29312) were studied in field with low soil-test K⁺ (47.8 mg·kg⁻¹). In the field with low soil-test K⁺, only OE-29317 had less biomass and K⁺ accumulation than the WT at some growth stages. Both Bt lines produced similar or even greater seed cotton yield than WT in the field. When the Bt gene (~ 70%) in OE-29317 and OE-29312 plants was silenced by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), the VIGS-Bt plants did not produce more biomass than VIGS-green fluorescent protein (control) plants.

Conclusions

The introduction of Bt gene did not necessarily hinder the K use efficiency of the cotton lines under this study.

中文翻译：

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导入苏云金芽孢杆菌（Bt）基因不会降低Bt转基因棉花（Gossypium hirsutum L.）的钾利用效率

背景

随着苏云金芽孢杆菌( Bt ) 转基因棉花 ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) 在全球范围内的广泛采用，钾 (K) 缺乏已成为田间生产中常见的问题。本研究的目的是阐明Bt基因的导入是否直接降低棉花的钾素利用效率而诱发钾素缺乏。

结果

棉花品种吉禾321（野生型，WT）及其两个Bt（Cry1Ac）转基因过表达系（OE-29317、OE - 29312）在低土壤测试K ⁺（47.8 mg·kg ⁻¹）的田间进行了研究。）。在土壤测试K ⁺较低的田地中，只有OE-29317在某些生长阶段的生物量和K ⁺积累量低于WT。两种Bt品系在田间的籽棉产量与 WT 相似甚至更高。当OE-29317 和 OE-29312 植物中的Bt基因 (~ 70%) 通过病毒诱导基因沉默 (VIGS) 沉默时，VIGS- Bt植物并未产生比 VIGS-绿色荧光蛋白（对照）植物更多的生物量。

结论

Bt基因的引入并不一定会影响本研究棉花品系的钾素利用效率。