Effect of tobacco streak virus, bacterial leaf blight, grey mildew diseases on the expression of Cry1Ac protein in Bt cotton
Chinna Babu Naik V, Krishna MSR, Suneetha P, Prasad NVVSD and Ramakrishna N
Transgenic Bt Cottons expressing Cry protein are proved to be toxic to bollworms played significant role in reducing crop losses. Besides Cry protein expression level, spatial and temporal expression of Cry protein plays a very crucial role in attaining hosts resistance. In the present investigation, we focused on the effect of four cotton diseases on Cry protein expression in JK Durga Bt cotton hybrids at 60 and 120 DAS (with Grey mildew), at 120 DAS (with Tobacco Streak Virus) and at 150 DAS (with Bacterial Leaf Blight). Experiment results revealed that there is no significant difference in the expression of cry protein between healthy Bt cotton hybrids and diseased hybrids. Thus, we conclude that there is no effect of disease incidence on the Cry protein expression which in turn conveys that the expression of Cry1Ac protein, responsible for resistance against insects is not influenced by other diseases on the plant.