Gross morphology of <i>SD37</i> transgenic plants and the relative amount of <i>SD37</i> mRNA, as determined by real-time PCR.

<p>(A) Gross morphology of the vector-control/Nipponbare; <i>sd37</i> over-expressing transgenic line: <i>P_UBQ:sd37</i> in the Nipponbare genetic background; <i>SD37</i> over-expressing transgenic line 1:<i>P_SD37:SD37</i> in the Nipponbare background; over-expressing transgenic lines 2–4: <i>P_UBQ:SD37</i> in the Nipponbare background. Bar = 10 cm. (B) Gross morphology of the <i>SD37</i> RNA interference transgenic plants in 3037 and Nipponbare backgrounds at 30 days. Bar = 10 cm. (C) Relative amount of <i>SD37</i> mRNA levels in the transgenic plants in (A) and (B), as determined by real-time PCR. (D) Quantitative measurement of the total second leaf sheath parenchyma cell number in the axial parenchyma cells in the second leaf sheath parenchyma (per leaf) of the RNAi-<i>SD37</i> transgenic line and vector control. Error bars indicate ± SD (N = 10). A significant difference (**, <i>P</i><0.01) was found between the RNAi-<i>SD37</i> transgenic line and vector control.