EXPRESSION OF CRYIA(C) GENE OF BACILLUS-THURINGIENSIS IN TRANSGENIC CHICKPEA PLANTS INHIBITS DEVELOPMENT OF POD-BORER (HELIOTHIS-ARMIGERA) LARVAE

Two strains of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) ICCV-1 and ICCV-6, were u sed for transgenic plant generation. Embryo axis of mature seed devoid of the root meristem and the shoot apex was used as experimental mate rial. The explants were cultured in medium containing MS macro salts, 4 x MS micro salts, B5 vitamins, 3.0 mg l(-1) BAP, 0.004 mg l(-1) NAA, 30 mg l(-1) sucrose and cultured at 26 degrees C in dark, 24 h prior to bombardment. Gene delivery to the explants was carried out using a Bio-Rad Biolistic 1000/He particle gun. A chimaeric, truncated bacteri al cryIA(c) gene construct was developed for plant expression with the CaMV35S promoter, nos terminator, an initiatory kozak sequence and a translational enhancer (Omega) sequence of tobacco mosaic virus. This cryIA/(c) gene was cotransferred with a plasmid containing nptII gene as the selection marker. Transgenic kanamycin resistant chickpea plant s were obtained through multiple shoot formation and repeated selectio n of the bombarded explants. Molecular analyses of the transformants r evealed the presence of the transferred functional cryIA(c) gene in pl ant. Insect feeding assay indicated that the expression level of the c ry/IA(c) gene was inhibitory to the development of the feeding larvae of Heliothis armigera Hubner, the chickpea pod-borer.