EFEITO DA ZIGOSIDADE DO EVENTO MIR162 EM HÍBRIDOS DE MILHO

Abstract

Most Bt corn hybrids contain only one copy of the transgenic gene allele, being a plant hemizygous for the transgene. The addition of another allele, homozygous for transgenesis, is a recent approach that increases the concentration of Bt protein in the leaf and can even reduce injuries caused by Spodoptera frugiperda, but little is still known about the adaptive cost of an additional transgenic allele in corn hybrids. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of MIR162 zygosity in maize hybrids. For this, two corn hybrids were used, each with three isogenic versions: 1) conventional, 2) hemizygous for MIR162, and 3) homozygous for MIR162. Taking into account the experiments and biotechnologies evaluated, it was possible to infer that homozygous corn hybrids do not differ from hemizygous and conventional hybrids and that zygosity in transgenic Bt hybrids did not harm or cause an increase in corn grain productivity comparing hybrids and their versions, concluding that the effect was neutral.