EFFICIENT TRANSGENIC PLANT-REGENERATION THROUGH AGROBACTERIUM-MEDIATED TRANSFORMATION OF CHICKPEA (CICER-ARIETINUM L)

Three genotypes of chickpea ICCV-1, ICCV-6 and a Desi (local) variety were tested for plant regeneration through multiple shoot production. The embryo axis was removed from mature seeds, the root meristem and t he shoot apex were discarded. These explants were cultured on medium c ontaining MS macro salts, 4X MS micro salts, B5 vitamins, 3.0 mg/l BAP , 0.004 mg/l NAA, 3% (w/v) sucrose and incubated at 26 degrees C. The explants were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA440 4 with binary vector pBI121 containing the uidA and nptII genes. Multi ple shoots were repeatedly selected with kanamycin. The selected kanam ycin resistant shoots were rooted on MS medium supplemented with 0.05 mg/l IBA. The presumptive transformants histochemically stained positi ve for GUS. Additionally, nptII assay confirmed the expression of nptI I in kanamycin resistant plants. Transgenic plants were transferred to soil and grown in the green house.