ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Physiological and Biochemical Response
of Transgenic Cotton Plants to Drought Stress
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1
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, IMBB, the University of Lahore, Pakistan
2
Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
3
Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
4
College of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Submission date: 2021-11-17
Final revision date: 2022-01-26
Acceptance date: 2022-02-07
Online publication date: 2022-05-20
Publication date: 2022-07-12
Corresponding author
Shazia Shafique
Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore -54590, Pakistan., Pakistan
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(4):3909-3918
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ABSTRACT
Transgenic crops are propagated to get a range of benefits like the ability to be resistant to fungi,
bacteria, viruses and insects, to tolerate herbicides and to grow better under restricting environmental
conditions such as drought, high salt or metal containing soils. Currently, GHSP-26 gene related to
small heat shock protein HSP family (GHSP-26) was isolated from Gossypium arboretum and
transgenic plants of Gossypium hirsutum were raised with inherited gene. Thus, the current study was
carried out to evaluate the response of transgenic and non-transgenic plants (control) when they were
subjected to 5 days stress by preventing the irrigation. Their response was characterized by assessing
the morphological, physiological and biochemical alterations occurring in plants mechanism. After 5
days it was observed that the stress reduced the growth rate, relative water content, cell membrane
stability, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomata conductance and chlorophyll in plants.
The accumulation of proline and malondialdehyde took place in plants. The transgenic plants exhibited
more tolerance as compared to non-transgenic plants towards the drought stress conditions and have
better survival capacity in harsh environment due to the capability of diminishing their metabolic
processes which can be retained when the conditions turn to normal. This relative study among the
transgenic along with non-transgenic plants gives a better understanding of the transgene expression
and its effect on different yield contributing traits, in this way, transgenic crops can be developed in
future which will give better response under drought conditions.