GENETIC-TRANSFORMATION OF BANANA AND PLANTAIN (MUSA SPP) VIA PARTICLEBOMBARDMENT

We have developed a simple protocol to allow the production of transge nic banana plants. Foreign genes were delivered into embryogenic suspe nsion cells using accelerated particles coated with DNA. Bombardment p arameters were optimized for a modified particle gun resulting in high levels of transient expression of the beta-glucuronidase gene in both banana and plantain cells. Bombarded banana cells were selected with hygromycin and regenerated into plants. Molecular and histochemical ch aracterization of transformants revealed the stable integration of the transferred genes into the banana genome.