AGROBACTERIUM-TUMEFACIENS-MEDIATED TRANSFORMATION OF SOLANUM-GILO RADDI AS INFLUENCED BY EXPLANT TYPE

An efficient system for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformat ion of Solanum gilo was established. The marker genes for kanamycin re sistance and beta-glucuronidase expression were introduced. A comparis on between cotyledon and hypocotyl explants showed that while regenera tion was better from hypocotyl explants, cotyledon explants gave bette r transformation efficiency (46% vs. 32%). Four levels of kanamycin se lection (100, 150, 200 and 250 mg/l) were tested for effect on transfo rmation efficiency with each type of explant. Lower levels of kanamyci n worked better using cotyledon explants, while higher levels of kanam ycin worked better for hypocotyl explants. All nine T-0 plants tested for expression of the kan(r) gene were positive. The progeny of three of these plants showed a pattern of classical Mendelian inheritance (3 to 1) for both the kan(r) and the beta-glucuronidase genes.