Controlled Over-Expression of AtDREB1A Enhances Tolerance against Drought and Salinity in Rice

Engineering transcription factors (TF) hold promise in enhancing abiotic stress tolerance plants. In this study, one of the popular rice varieties South India, namely ADT 43, was engineered with a TF AtDREB1A driven by stress-inducible rd29A promoter. PCR and Southern hybridization were employed to confirm integration copy number transgene. Transgenic lines (T1) 43 showed enhanced drought salinity compared non-transgenic 43. found maintain higher RWC %, lower leaf temperature, partially closed stomata, enabling better survival under conditions. qRT-PCR analysis revealed strong induction transcripts during drought. exhibited increased germination retention chlorophyll their leaves salinity. Evaluation transgenic screen house conditions that line # A16 on par agronomic performance against its counterpart normal Under drought, >20% reduction total spikelets per panicle, whereas registered only 2% reduction. Non-transgenic recorded 80% yield 54% loss. The above results demonstrated effectiveness controlled expression DREB1A regulating dehydration responses rice.