Carmi, N., Department of Plant Genetics, Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Volcani Center, A.R.O., Bet-Dagan 50250, Israel
Salts, Y., Department of Plant Genetics, Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Volcani Center, A.R.O., Bet-Dagan 50250, Israel
Shabtai, S., Department of Plant Genetics, Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Volcani Center, A.R.O., Bet-Dagan 50250, Israel
Pilowsky, M., Department of Plant Genetics, Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Volcani Center, A.R.O., Bet-Dagan 50250, Israel
Barg, R., Department of Plant Genetics, Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Volcani Center, A.R.O., Bet-Dagan 50250, Israel
Dedicova, B., Inst. Plant Genet., Slovak Acad. SCI, Nitra 94902, Slovakia

The ability to set fruit independently of fertilization is an advantageous agronomic traits. Following the fact that in tomato parthenocarpy can be induced by auxin application, we tested the possibility to induce genetically engineered parthenocarpy by expressing the A. Rhizogenes derived rolB gene under the ovary and the young fruit specific promoter TPRP-F1. The rolB gene was tested since it was reported to mimic some of the known auxin effects in transgenic plants. Several of the TPRP-F1: rolB transgenic plants behaved as facultative parthenocarpic; setting both seeded and seedless fruits, and one plant was obligate; setting seedless fruits only. In both the facultative and the obligate phenotypes, the rolB induced parthenocarpy yielded seedless fruits full of jelly and their weight was similar to that of the control fruits.