Characterization of Mannitol Accumulating T4 Generation Transgenic Wheat Exposed to Drought Stress

Abstract

Wheat is an important crop grown worldwide, and it is severely affected by the drought stress. Sugars and sugar alcohols are known for protecting plants from drought stress. In this study, the mannitol accumulating transgenic T4 generation of wheat was characterized by measuring different properties such as biomass, height, net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, light and CO2 response curves, and antioxidant enzyme activities. The T4 generation wheat lines did not show the drought and salt tolerance previously observed in the T1 generation. The mannitol concentration found in the T4 generation was also far lower than in the T1 generation, and it did not increase under stress. The transgenic lines performed better than the wild type Bobwhite in terms of only height and biomass. Accumulation of mannitol in the chloroplasts of the transgenic lines provided better protection from membrane lipid peroxidation compared to accumulation of mannitol in the cytoplasm.