Transgenic tobacco plants overproducing alfalfa aldose/aldehyde reductase show higher tolerance to low temperature and cadmium stress

Wild type (SR1) tobacco line and transgenic lines ALR1/5 and ALR1/9, overexpressing aldose/aldehyde reductase were cold treated at 0 degreesC. Both transgenic lines showed significantly higher F-v/F-m values than the control (SR1) during the first 3 days of treatment. There was an equally low F-v/F-m ratio in each line after the filth day. Both the chlorophyll content and the malondialdehyde levels reflected the more restricted oxidative damage to transgenic tobacco plants. These transgenic lines were less susceptible to cadmium-induced stress effects as well, as could be seen from the less pronounced decrease in photosynthetic pigment contents. These results suggest that alfalfa aldose/aldehyde reductase overexpression may generally induce higher stress tolerance. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.