TRANSFORMATION OF PEAS (PISUM-SATIVUM L) USING IMMATURE COTYLEDONS

A reliable Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation method ha s been developed for peas (Pisum sativum) using immature cotyledons as the explant source. Transgenic plants were recovered from the four cu ltivars tested: Bolero, Trounce, Bohatyr and Huka. The method takes ap proximately 7 months from explant to seed-bearing primary regenerant. The binary vector used carried genes for kanamycin and phosphinothrici n resistance. Transformed pea plants were selected on 10 mg/l phosphin othricin. The nptII and bar genes were shown to be stably inherited th rough the first sexual generation of transformed plants. Expression of the phosphinothticin-resistance gene in the transformed plants was de monstrated using the 'Buster' (='Basta') leaf-paint test and the phosp hinothricin acetyl transferase enzyme assay.