THE OVEREXPRESSION OF GENE ENCODING RICE POTASSIUM CHANNEL - OsТРКa INCREASES THE SALT AND DROUGHT TOLERANCE OF PLANTS

The main aim of this study was to investigate the role of potassium TPK channel (OsTPKa) from rice in regulation of salinity and drought stresses, potassium deficiency. In order to elevate the expression level of gene encoding two-pore potassium channel OsTPKa, the stable agrobacterium mediated transformation of plants was performed. The elevation of OsTPKa expression level in transformed plants leads to improvement of salt and drought tolerance of transformed plants was found during experiments. In conditions of potassium deficiency or salt stress the plants with elevated OsTPKa expression level exhibit better growth rates, decreasing of sodium accumulation in plant tissues.