TRANSFORMATION STUDIES OF ACTINIDIA-CHINENSIS PLANCH

Transformed plants of four different genotypes of Actinidia chinensis Planch. were recovered from experiments using the Agrobacterium tumefa ciens strains A281 and C58, both carrying the binary vector pKIWI105. A. chinensis was compared to a related species A. deliciosa, in its am enability to transformation and regeneration procedures. During regene ration A. chinensis shoot initiation was more rapid and prolific than A, deliciosa, although A, chinensis was more sensitive to small change s in growth regulator concentration. Comparisons between the different genotypes of A. chinensis showed only minor differences in growth reg ulator preferences. The strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens that were effective as gene transfer agents in A. chinensis were the same as th ose which transformed A. deliciosa. Southern analysis and Polymerase C hain Reaction amplification of the transferred genes were used to conf irm the transgenic nature of regenerated plantlets.