This technology provides a composition for increasing plant drought resistance using a recombinant VIGS vector that inhibits the expression of the pepper MLO2 protein (SEQ ID NO: 1) as an active ingredient, as well as a screening method for identifying drought resistance enhancers based on reduced MLO2 expression. Silencing MLO2 reduces water loss in leaves.
Global water shortages and desertification have created a need for crops that can survive with minimal water, yet genetic resources related to abscisic acid signaling for this purpose have been limited. MLO genes have primarily been studied in relation to powdery mildew resistance in barley, and their role in plant drought resistance was previously unknown.
Based on the discovery that pepper MLO2 is a negative regulator of abscisic acid signaling, this technology uses pTRV1 or pTRV2-based VIGS vectors containing the MLO2 ORF to silence the gene and enhance the abscisic acid response. It also includes a screening system to identify substances that reduce MLO2 expression compared to a control. Applicable to drought-tolerant breeding of horticultural crops like peppers, improvement of food crops in arid regions, and the discovery of agricultural materials to mitigate drought stress, it can accelerate the development of crops that minimize yield loss in areas with poor irrigation.
This invention was developed with support from the Rural Development Administration's project for developing pepper genes related to multiple stress resistance using comparative genomics.
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