FERTILE, TRANSGENIC TRITICALE (X TRITICOSECALE WITTMACK)

Fertile transgenic Triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) plants express ing the beta-glucuronidase (uidA) and phosphinothricin acetyltransfera se (bar) genes were obtained after microprojectile bombardment of scut ellar tissue with the plasmid pDB1 containing the uidA gene under the control of the actin-1 promoter (Act1) from rice and the selectable ma rker gene bar under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter. From 465 bom barded scutella about 4000 plantlets were regenerated; 300 plants surv ived the selection. These regenerants were screened for enzyme activit y by the histological GUS assay and by spraying the plants with a herb icide (Basta). Twenty-five regenerants showed GUS activity and survive d repeated Basta spraying. Southern blot analysis showed the presence of both marker genes introduced into the genome of analysed plants. Al l transgenic plants were fertile. They were grown to maturity and set seed. Pollen and progeny analyses provided evidence for inheritance of the introduced genes to the next generation.