IDENTIFICATION OF DIFFERENTIALLY EXPRESSED GENES IN RESPONSE TO MID-SEASON DROUGHT IN GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogaea L.)

In groundnut, maximum yield losses under drought situation coincide with pegging, pod formation and pod development stages (mid-season drought). To unravel the mechanisms conditioning drought tolerance, physiological, biochemical and molecular parameters were analysed in groundnut subjected to moisture stress from 50 to 80 DAS. Transcriptome was analysed by cDNA-RAPD to identify differentilly expressed transcripts in groundnut subjected to mid season stress. cDNA-RAPD profiles with 35 RAPD markers resulted in a total of 823 reproducible differentially expressed transcripts in three regimes of moisture stress. Among the 823 differentially expressed transcripts, 523 transcripts exhibited qualitative difference and 300 transcripts displayed quantitative differences in banding pattern of cDNA-RAPD profiles among all the four genotypes.Molecular characterization of differentially expressed transcripts/genes by sequencing will be helpful in identification of superior alleles conferring drought tolerance in groundnut. The gene expression levels of key genes (up and down regulation) can be modulated by targeting transcription factors involved drought stress perception, signal transduction