• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.11-17
• /
• 2007

Previously developed transgenic watermelon rootstocks (gongdae) inserted by CGMMV-CP were examined to test the virus tolerance levels. In the restricted plastic house, the $T_{3}$ watermelon rootstock showed tolerance to CGMMV until 70 days after inoculation on the leaves while the non-transformed watermelon rootstock became susceptible at 20 days after inoculation. In the field, tolerance efficiency of transgenic rootstocks maintained up to 40% at 71 days after contamination with CGMMV in the soil while all of the non-transformed rootstocks became susceptible at 37 days with the same condition. In the same field, transgenic rootstocks showed more tolerance to CGMMV than the non-transformed rootstocks as those were inoculated on the leaves, but it showed only 10 days delay before being susceptible. Therefore, transgenic rootstocks have a characteristic of delay effect against CGMMV susceptibility, rather than resistance character. From $T_{3}$ rootstocks homozygous for the CGMMV-CP horticulturally favorable individuals were selected for further breeding and a transgenic line was finally obtained at the $BC_{1}T_{5}$. A material transfer experiment was conducted to find out if the DNA, RNA or expressed protein in the transgenic rootstocks could move to the grafted scion (non-transformed watermelon, Super-Kumcheon). PCR, northern, and western blot analysis were performed and no evidence of transferring of those materials from rootstock to scion was ever found.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.323-330
• /
• 2006

We investigated the impact of watermelon grafted onto Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV)-resistant transgenic watermelon rootstock on insects as non-target organisms in a greenhouse in 2005. We quantitatively collected insect assemblages living on leaves and flowers, and we used sticky traps to collect alate insects. We compared the patterns of insect assemblages and community composition, cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover) on watermelon leaves and western flower thrip (Frankliniella occidentalis Trybom) on watermelon male flowers, between CGMMV-resistant transgenic watermelon (TR) and non-transgenic watermelon (nTR). Non-parametric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination verified that insect assemblages on leaves and sticky traps were different between TR and nTR (P<0.05). The insect assemblages on male flowers were not statistically significant. Multi-response permutation procedures proofed our results from NMS results (P>0.05). Conclusively, TR watermelons appear to have some adverse effects on the population of cotton aphids on leaves and sticky traps, but watermelon male flowers do not show an adverse effect. Further research is required to assess the effect of TR on the aphid and western flower thrip. Life table experiments might support the specific reason for the adverse effects from leaf assemblages. Assessment of non-target impacts is an essential part of the risk assessment of non-target insects for the impact of transgenic organisms.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.225-236
• /
• 2010

We compared the composition of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) to assess the microbial community structure in the soil and rhizosphere community of non-transgenic watermelons and transgenic watermelons in Miryang farmlands in Korea during the spring and summer of 2005. The PLFA data were seasonally examined for the number of PLFA to determine whether there is any difference in the microbial community in soils from two types of watermelons, non-transgenic and transgenic. We identified 78 PLFAs from the rhizosphere samples of the two types of watermelons. We found eight different PLFAs for the type of plants and sixteen PLFAs for the interaction of plant type and season. The PLFA data were analyzed by analysis of variance separated by plant type (P<0.0085), season (P<0.0154), and the plant type${\times}$season interaction (P<0.1595). Non-parametric multidimensional scaling (NMS showed a small apparent difference but multi-response permutation procedures (MRPP) confirmed that there was no difference in microbial community structure for soils of both plant types. Conclusively, there was no significant adverse effect of transgenic watermelon on bacterial and fungal relative abundance as measured by PLFA. We could reject our hypothesis that there might be an adverse effect from transgenic watermelon with our statistical results. Therefore, we can suggest the use of this PLFA methodology to examine the adverse effects of transgenic plants on the soil microbial community.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
• /
• 2004.10a
• /
• pp.50-54
• /
• 2004

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
• /
• 2003.04a
• /
• pp.106-106
• /
• 2003