FIELD PERFORMANCE OF TRANSGENIC TOMATO WITH REDUCED PECTIN METHYLESTERASE ACTIVITY

Transgenic 'Rutgers' 37-81(boolean AND) tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) homozygous for a pectin methylesterase (PME) antisense gene, which lowers PME activity and increases levels of soluble solids, was compared to azygous (a segregating line of 37-81(boolean AND) with 0 copies of the introduced gene) and wild-type 'Rutgers' in the field during Summer 1992 and 1993 to determine the effects of the introduced PME antisense gene on tomato plant growth, fruit set, fruit yield, and fruit processing attributes, Fresh and dry weight accumulation in transgenic plants was similar to wild-type 'Rutgers' and azygous 37-81(boolean AND) lines during 1992 and 1993, indicating that the introduced PME antisense gene did not affect biomass accumulation, Transgenic plants showed an increase in fruit number and yield in 1992 compared to wild-type 'Rutgers' and azygous 37-81(boolean AND), but no differences were observed among the three genotypes in 1993. Average fruit weight did not show significant differences among the three genotypes in 1992, but was lower in azygous and transgenic plants than wildtype plants in 1993. Transgenic fruit had higher soluble and total solids and higher pH than control fruit, but shelf life was somewhat shorter in transgenic fruit, Overall, these data indicate that introduction of the PME antisense gene, which improves the processing quality of tomatoes, does not adversely affect fruit yield or vegetative growth of plants.