INSECT-RESISTANT TRANSGENIC CABBAGE PLANTS AND THEIR PROGENIES

An insecticidal crystal protein gene of Bacillus thuringiensis was tra nsferred into cabbage genome with the method of Agrobacterium infectio n. Cotyledons with petioles as explants were cocultivated with Agrobac terial suspension. Calli generated at the basis of petiole were subjec ted to selection on the MS medium containing 15-30mg/L kanamycin (Km). About 5% explants produced calli growing continuously on the selectiv e medium. Green shoots appeared on these calli when they were transpla nted onto medium with Km and 6-BA for plant differentiation. The shoot s were separated and cultivated on medium with kanamycin. About 80% sh oots were rooted. Non-transformed control calli could not give normal shoots and roots and brownized and died gradually. Lanae of Pieris rap ae showed poisonous symptom: growth inhibition and mortality when fed with the leaf of the transgenic plants. About 80% of regenerated plant s showed positive hybridization bands when their DNA were probed with crystal protein sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis. Mendel's segregati on was observed among plants grown up from the seeds of transgenic cab bage plants both in kanamycin resistance and insecticidal activity aga inst Pieris rapae larvae.