Annual Report - IHBT

CSIR-IHBT Annual Report 2010-11Molecular markers and descriptor developmentIn continuation to earlier studies, 113 microsatellite markers were identified from genic andenriched genomic libraries. Two hundred additional markers were identified while validating482 markers in selective accessions and related species of Camellia. Analysis revealed an average5.89 alleles and 0.411 PIC (Polymorphism Information Content) per marker. The observed andexpected mean heterozygosities were 0.634 and 0.612, respectively. These markers recorded ahigh level of transferability (98-100 %) in the cultivated and related Camellia species.TransgenicsIn continuation to earlier studies, improved tolerance to PEG induced osmotic stress was observedin the transgenic plants expressing osmotin gene (Fig. 40a). The transgenics showed increasedaccumulation of osmolytes like raffinose and sorbitol and recovered from stress more rapidly ascompared to control (Fig. 40b).Fig. 40 Response of transgenic plants to osmotic stress a) leaf senescence, b) accumulation of osmolytes44