Figure 4.

Phenotypes of tobacco PSUC2-NsCET1 transformants are graft transmissible. A, Wild-type N. tabacum cv Turkish scions grafted onto wild-type Turkish stocks (WT/WT; left two plants) or onto PSUC2-NsCET1 transformant stocks (WT/CET1ox; right two plants). The mature leaves were removed regularly from scions to enhance sink strength. Note that the flowering time of the scions grafted onto PSUC2-NsCET1 transformant stocks was delayed significantly. B, Box-whisker plot of the flowering time of wild-type scions grafted onto wild-type stocks (WT*/WT; yellow; n = 7) or PSUC2-NsCET1 transformant stocks (WT*/CET1ox; green; n = 10). Flowering time is presented as the number of leaves of scions, which was calculated from the grafted junction to the first floral bud. WT* indicates that samples were calculated from wild-type scions (****, P < 0.0001, unpaired Student’s t test). C, Internodes of wild-type scions grafted onto wild-type stock or PSUC2-NsCET1 transformant stock. The nodes are indicated by red asterisks. Bar = 1 cm. D, Box-whisker plots of the internode length of five representative scions grafted onto wild-type stocks (yellow; 1–5) or PSUC2-NsCET1 transformant stocks (green; 6–10). Horizontal lines are the median, box edges are Q1 to Q3, and whiskers are highest and lowest values (****, P < 0.0001, unpaired Student’s t test).