Top 5 Features of Transgenic Plants | Plant Breeding | Botany

Main features of transgenic plants are briefly discussed below:

Feature # 1. Contain Transgenes:

Transgenic plants contain transgenes (foreign genes). The foreign genes may be utilized from unrelated plants, microbes and animals. Microbial genes are utilized from fungi, bacteria and viruses. Sometimes, genes from DNA synthesized in the laboratory are also used for development of transgenic plants.

Feature # 2. Involve Biotechnology:

Development of transgenic plants involves plant biotechnology, which refer to the combination of tissue culture and genetic engineering. In other words, transgenic plants are developed through tissue culture and genetic engineering. The genetic engineering helps in manipulation of foreign gene (DNA) and tissue culture is essential for genetic transformation.

The foreign gene cannot be inserted into whole plant. It can only be inserted into single cells. Thus, tissue culture is essential for transfer of foreign gene into single cells. The genetic transformation can be achieved either through cell culture or protoplast culture.

Moreover, tissue culture is essential for regeneration of genetically transformed single cells into whole plant. Thus combination of tissue culture and molecular genetics is essential for development of transgenic plants.

Feature # 3. Bypass Sexual Process:

In the development of transgenic plants, the sexual process (reproduction) is bypassed. In other words, transgenic plants are developed without involving sexual fusion between donor and the recipient parents. Once a transgenic plant is developed, the transgenic trait can be transferred to other genotypes through backcross method.

Feature # 4. Low Frequency:

In most of the field crops, transgenic plants are recovered at a very low frequency. Hence, huge single cells or protoplasts have to be screened in the culture medium for identification and isolation of transgenic cells. The transformed cells are identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique.

Feature # 5. Utility:

Transgenic plants are developed to solve specific problems in crop plants such as development of plants having resistance to diseases, insects, drought, frost, salinity and metal toxicity, improvement in keeping quality of some vegetables and fruits, and development of male sterility, etc.