EXPRESSION OF THE GUS-GENE IN THE MONOCOT TULIP AFTER INTRODUCTION BYPARTICLE BOMBARDMENT AND AGROBACTERIUM

Gene transfer to the monocotyledon tulip (Tulipa sp. L.) was obtained both by particle bombardment and Agrobacterium transformation. Using a Particle Delivery System, transient expression of the reporter gene f or beta-glucuronidase was demonstrated. It was shown that the CAMV 35S as well as the TR2' promoter were active in flower stem explants. Var ious wildtype and disarmed Agrobacterium strains, harbouring the 35S G USintron gene on a binary plasmid, were used for infection of flower s tem explants of 7 cultivars and 7 botanical Tulipa species. In nine ge notypes the GUSintron gene was expressed, despite the fact that tulip tissue did not produce detectable amounts of virulence-inducing substa nces. Agrobacterium rhizogenes appeared to be most effective in gene t ransfer to tulip tissue.