Wheat plants containing an Osmotin gene show enhanced ability to produce roots at high NaCl concentration

The genetically engineered osmotin gene located in a binary vector was transferred by shotgun to an Iranian wheat cultivar (Triticum aestivum, cv. Marvdasht). Screening of transgenic plants was carried out by using both molecular and phenotypic approaches. Transgenic lines were studied for their ability to tolerate salinity stress at various concentrations of NaCl. Transgenic line of cv. Marvdasht exhibited a high ability to produce roots at the concentration of 250 mM NaCl. In this research, a resistant Iranian cv. Zarrin and nontransgenic lines of cv. Marvdasht were also compared for their root length under salinity condition. Results showed that transgenic Marvdasht lines are significantly more tolerant than nontransgenic ones and very similar to naturally resistant Zarrin in this aspect.