An efficient wheat transformation procedure: transformed calli with long-term morphogenic potential for plant regeneration

Authors

Lingyu Zhang, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
J.J. Rybczynski, The Botanical Garden-Center for Biological Diversity and Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-02-773 Warsaw, Poland
W.G. Langenberg, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Amitava Mitra, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Roy C. French, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

1-10-2000

Comments

Published in Plant Cell Reports (2000) 19: 241–250.

Abstract

A method for producing large numbers of transgenic wheat plants has been developed. With this approach, an average of 9.7% of immature embryo explants were transformed and generated multiple self-fertile, independently transformed plants. No untransformed plants, or escapes, were regenerated. This transformation procedure uses morphogenic calli derived from scutellum tissue of immature embryos of Triticum aestivum cv. Bobwhite co-bombarded with separate plasmids carrying a selectable marker gene (bar) and a gene of interest, respectively. Transformed wheat calli with a vigorous growth phenotype were obtained by extended culture on media containing 5.0 mg/l bialaphos. These calli retained morphogenic potential and were competent for plant regeneration for as long as 11 months. The bar gene and the gene of interest were co-expressed in T0 progeny plants. This wheat transformation protocol may facilitate quantitative production of multiple transgenic plants and significantly reduce the cost and labor otherwise required for screening out untransformed escapes.