Abstract: Young leaves as explants, the tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) was transformed with antisense genomic DNA of phytochrome A, which mediated by Agrobacterium tumefacien. It was shown by PCR analysis and Sourthern blotting detection that the fragment of PHYA was integrated into the tomato genome. Several results were observed from transgenic tomato friuts including inhibition of expression of PHYA, siginificant decrease in biosynthesis of lycopene and the abnormal color of the fruit skin. There were no siginificant differenecs between transgenic fruits and the control groups in the production of ethylene. Therefore, we presumed that phytochrome existing in the downstram of ethylene, which along with PHYA, played a role in the regulation of biosynthesis of lycopene. However, more studies on how both of them regulate the biosynthesis of lycopene are needed.

Key words: tomato, lycopene, phytochrome A, ethylene