Establishment and optimisation of virus-induced gene silencing in system hydroponic cotton

Abstract

Using GhCLA1 as a marker gene and cotton variety Guoxinmian 3 plants as material, we aimed to explore effects of temperature, syringe-infiltrated concentrations and time, cultivation patterns, and cotton varieties on efficiency of tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-induced gene silencing (VIGS) under hydroponic condition. The results showed that higher silencing efficiency was induced by syringe-infiltrated time at 3 to 5 days after emergence and optimum growth temperature at 24° under hydroponic condition, but syringe-infiltrated concentrations could not affect VIGS silence efficiency. Moreover, pTRV-GFP as null fragment could alleviate the adverse effect of inserted fragment for plant growth. Silencing phenotype could be visible earlier in hydroponics culture than in soil culture, and the experimental period was significantly shortened under hydroponic condition. In addition, GhCLA1 could be silenced in all tested varieties (lines) under hydroponic condition. Cotton plants with silenced GhCTR1 were severely dwarfed, which indicated TRV-VIGS system can be applied widely in hydroponic cotton.