Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: Plant Research
Joshua Williams - Elizabeth City State University
Co-Author(s): Dayton Bell and Courtney Cole, Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC
Wisconsin Fast Plant (Brassica rapa) were used for this research as they can be used to improve disease resistance. Parommycin is an antibiotic used to test the presence of the nptII gene in plants; if the gene is not present then plants will have necrotic lesions and may die. This research was carried out to determine the effects of paromomycin on germination, flower buds, and necrosis. Self and cross pollinated cultivars of Wisconsin Fast Plants were sprayed with 0%,1%, 2%, and 3% paromomycin solutions and observed after 5, 10, and 15 days. For selfpollinated cultivars of Wisconsin Fast Plants, control germination was 47% for days 5 – 15. For cross- pollinated cultivars of Wisconsin Fast Plants, control germination was 77% for days 5 – 15. Plants sprayed with 3% paromoycin for both self and cross pollinated Wisconsin Fast Plants fared the worst for germination (20-53%), flower buds (0-66%), and necrotic lesions (2.3-2.7). Increase in the concentrations of paromomycin showed increase in necrosis for each week and each cultivar. For future trials, the nptII gene will be introduced into the plants; and they will be sprayed with the same amounts of paromomycin solutions to see which plants carry the genes.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): LSAMP
Faculty Advisor: Margaret Young,