Open Field Trial of Genetically Modified Parthenocarpic Tomato: Seedlessness and Fruit Quality - Genetic Engineering: Recent Developments in Applications - page 158

DefH9-RI-iaaM showed no significant influence on the amount of the biochemi-
cal compounds relevant for tomato processing quality. In fact, the organic acids,
vitamin C, lycopene and tomatine were not different between the two GM lines
and their control. The amount of β -carotene, a beneficial dietary bioactive for
humans, was higher in the transgenic lines compared to both the control and the
F1 Allflesh. This represents the main difference between transgenic and control
fruits. Some natural parthenocarpic variants of tomato have a higher β -carotene
level than their original cultivars [12]. No differences were observed for the anti-
oxidant activity and polyphenol content between the transgenic lines and the cv.
UC 82. For these traits, few differences were observed between the F1 Allflesh
and one UC 82 genotype (Ri4 transgenic). Similar results have been obtained in
transgenic tomatoes engineered for other traits [14-16].
To determine the substantial equivalence and identify possible unintended
effect in engineered food it has been proposed that biochemical fingerprinting
be expanded beyond the comparison between transgenic genotypes and its cor-
respondent untransformed controls to include several non-transgenic lines [17].
This approach can allow the determination of whether any difference originate
from metabolic effect associated with the transgenic trait or from expected genetic
and/or physiological variation within the species. In the present study the extent
of variation was higher between the traditional UC 82 cultivar (transgenic or not)
and the last generation F1 hybrid Allflesh.
conclusion
This trial has demonstrated that, under open field conditions allowing pollina-
tion/fertilization, the DefH9-Ri-iaaM transgene was able to sustain partheno-
carpic fruit development in the cv. UC 82. Biochemical and technological analy-
ses performed on tomato fruit (GM and non-GM) showed a very little variation
that is well within the variability of the species Lycopersicon esculentum. Yield
per plant did not differ between GM and non-GM, in GM lines fruit weight was
decreased, whilst fruit number was increased.
Methods
Plant Material
The selfed progenies of two single copy transgenic tomato (cv. UC 82) lines car-
rying DefH9-RI-iaaM (named Ri4 and Ri5), the untransformed control cultivar
UC 82 and the commercial F1 hybrid “Allflesh 1000” (Peotec) were compared.