ORIGINAL ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: An efficient protocol was developed via the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method with the plasmid, p485, harboring the aroA gene from the bacterial species Dickeya dadantii, to improve resistance to potato bacterial soft rot disease. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between glyphosate application and the enhancement of potatoes' resistance to two bacterial pathogens affecting the plants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An optimal concentration of 1.8 mg.L-1 of glyphosate was applied to transgenic potato varieties. The leaves of the Odyssey cultivar demonstrated resistance to two pathogenic strains, Pectobacterium atrosepticum 21A and D. dadantii ENA49. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) validation demonstrated the successful integration and heterologous expression of the aroA gene in the potato genome. Additionally, the transcriptional analysis revealed the expression of pathogenesis-related genes and genes associated with the potato defence response. RESULTS: The study revealed a significant increase in the expression of pathogenesis-related genes (PR-2, PR-3, and PR-5) and defence response genes (HSR-203j and HIN1 in transgenic potato leaves after glyphosate treatment and subsequent exposure to pathogenic bacterial infection, with a particular emphasis on the upregulation of HSR-203j. A comparative analysis assessed the average expression levels of these genes in both experimental and control samples. In contrast, minimal changes in gene expression were observed in plants infected with bacteria but not treated with glyphosate. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that glyphosate treatment in potatoes can enhance systemic acquired resistance to bacterial pathogens by upregulating pathogenesis-related and defence response genes. This approach shows potential for addressing bacterial diseases in potatoes, including soft bacterial rot.