OVEREXPRESSION OF NICOTIANAMINE SYNTHASE (NAS) GENE RESULTS IN ENHANCED DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN PERENNIAL RYEGRASS

As important forage crops, gramineous forage plants can also play role in improving natural environment, maintaining water and soil erosion with turfgrass plants together. Using the particle bombardment transformation system nicotianamine synthase gene was introduced into the callus of Lolium perenne. Twenty transgenic ryegrass lines were obtained from 105 pieces of G418-resistant calli, giving a 5.15% transformation frequency. PCR and Southern blotting analysis showed that target gene was integrated into the genome of the transgenic plants. Transgenic plants displayed excellent drought resistant by expression of NASHOR gene in the field aridity experiment. The chlorophyll content of leaves in transgenic plant was higher than that of the controls in normal condition. The further observation infield experiment and identified resistance for these transgenic plants are underway.