Abstract
We have already obtained transgenic gentians that turned to be white flower color by transformation with antisense CHS. Here we report the characteristics of them. Because the transformants had a bar gene in the genome, they were expected to have herbicide-resistance. Two lines of transformants were subjected to herbicide including 18% bialaphos and tested for herbicide tolerance. Application with 200-fold dilution of herbicide showed that transformants were resistant to this herbicide, while untransformed plants died within one month. Furthermore, their pollen fertility, plant height and flowering date were investigated. Both fertility by aceto-carmine staining and plant height are not significantly different from those of untransformed plants. Flowering date was a few earlier in transgenics but it may be due to pot cultivation in greenhouse. Now we are attempting to suppress CHS using inverted repeat vector. Some transformants show white to faint blue-colored flower in culture vessels.
