Gene Expression of G-Box Binding Factor3 (GBF3) in Local Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) under Drought Stress

Abstract

Commonly, cassava could survive for a moment under drought stress. However, there are limitations to face the drought stress for the growth and productivity then affect starch synthesis. Gunungkidul is one of the biggest cassava producers in Indonesia, in meanwhile cassava production is not able to increase due to the characteristics of karst land topography and rainfed area. Tolerance of drought stress is a complex process relates to physiological and molecular responses. In molecular level, many genes revealed multi-complex responses to drought stress. One of the responsible gene assumed to correlate to drought stress is G-Box Binding Factor (GBF3). The study aims to detect the gene expression of GBF3 in local cassava cultivars of Gunungkidul under drought stress. The result revealed that at moisture levels of 50 percent and 25 percent, GBF3 (Gene Expression of G-Box Binding Factor 3) expressions are identified in the cassava cultivar Gatotkaca, which differed from the detection result of the cassava cultivar Pandesi hijau at all moisture levels. Based on the presence of phenotypic characters and gene expression, the local cultivar of Gatotkaca is assumably to be more drought tolerant than Pandesi Hijau.