Abstract
Yellow stem borer has been identified as a major insect pest of deepwater rice, causing severe yield losses.
Bt gene(s) from
Bacillus thuringiensis have been proven very effective in pest resistance program. The use of transgenic plants expressing
Bt gene(s) is now occupied effective approach to control insect infestation. We have successfully introduced a synthetic
cryIA(b) gene into embryogenic calli of a deepwater indica rice variety, Vaidehi, by using the biolistic method of transformation. The presence and expression of the
Bt gene in regenerated plants were confirmed by Southern and Western blot analyses. Inheritance of the transgene was confirmed in the T
1 generation. Insect bioassays showed an enhancement of resistance against the yellow stem borer. This is the first report of lowland rice, engineered with
Bt gene.