Biomass Distribution in Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Transformed with rol-genes of Agrobacterium rhizogenes

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes exhibited marked alterations in morphology and biomass distribution. Plants termed root-inducing (Ri) lines were regenerated from hairy roots produced by inoculating leaf explants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes wild-type strain ATCC15834. Six Ri lines were characterized in a greenhouse trial and all Ri lines had reduced dry weights of main shoot, lateral shoots, leaves, and flowers compared with control plants. The reduction in dry weights of these organs correlated with reduced plant height, shoot length, leaf area, and number of flowers per plant. Furthermore, an altered distribution of dry matter was evident in the Ri plants, where the greater part of dry matter was allocated into leaves and secondly into flowers, whereas the majority of dry matter in control plants was allocated into flowers and secondly into leaves. Furthermore, a higher percentage of dry matter was allocated into the main shoot of the Ri lines in comparison with that of control plants. Increased dry matter in leaves and in the main shoot in the Ri lines appeared to be at the expense of dry matter allocated into flowers. Moreover, an increased number of vegetative lateral shoots was recorded in the Ri lines, whereas the number of reproductive lateral shoots was decreased. Possible mechanisms behind the altered resource distribution are discussed.