Figure 4
FvC5SD expression enhances drought tolerance in transgenics.
(a) Leaf surface of the transgenic tomato plants had darker green colour and glossier surface than the WT control plants (left). Light microscopy images of leaves from transgenic line (D-2) showed higher epidermal cell density compared to WT (right). (b) Epicuticular wax layers on adaxial leaf surfaces of WT control and transgenic line (D-2) viewed by scanning electron microscopy. Images were taken at two different magnifications of 7000× and 1500×. (c) Composition of leaf cuticular waxes of 4 weeks old WT and transgenic lines as determined by GC-MS. Wax constituents (alkane, alkenes, alcohol, fatty acids and triterpenoids) are expressed in μg/mg of fresh weight of leaves. All values are mean ± SE (n = 3). (d) Carbon chain length distribution of leaf cuticular waxes of 4 weeks old WT and transgenic lines. All values are mean ± SE (n = 3). (e) Chlorophyll leaching assay from leaves of WT control and transgenic line D-2. Value of chlorophyll extracted at each time point is expressed as percentage of total chlorophyll. Data represents the mean ± SE of two independent experiments (n = 3 for each experiment). (f) Transgenic tomato plants expressing FvC5SD showed enhanced drought tolerance. One month old tomato transgenics (three independent transgenic lines D-2, D-11and D-12) and WT plants were subjected to drought stress by withholding the water for 17 days followed by resumption of normal water scheme for recovery. WT and transgenic plants recovered after drought stress are shown in the photographs. WT, wild type; GC-MS, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
