GENETIC-TRANSFORMATION OF EUSTOMA-GRANDIFLORUM BY AGROBACTERIUM-TUMEFACIENS

A method for genetic transformation of lisianthus by co-cultivation of in vitro grown leaves with Agrobacterium tumefaciens is described. Tw o strains, A281 and EHA105, both carrying the plasmid pKIWI105 capable of expressing the GUS gene were used in preliminary tests. A281 had h igher transformation efficiency in terms of transient and stable expre ssion. The efficiency of the strain EHA105 could be improved by includ ing 2iP in co-cultivation and selection media, but never reached that of the oncogenic strain A281. An expression cassette containing the nu cleoprotein gene of TSWV, carried by a binary plasmid, was introduced into EHA105 and used to transform lisianthus. After transformation and regeneration, the potentially useful transgene was present in seven p lants derived from independent events of transformation and the presen ce of the transgenic protein was detected in one of them.