REGENERATION OF TRANSGENIC CASSAVA PLANTS (MANIHOT-ESCULENTA CRANTZ) THROUGH AGROBACTERIUM-MEDIATED TRANSFORMATION OF EMBRYOGENIC SUSPENSION-CULTURES

A protocol was developed for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of embryogenic suspension cultures of cassava. The bacterial strain ABI c ontaining the binary vector pMON977 with the nptII gene as selectable marker and an intron-interrupted uidA gene (encoding beta-glucuronidas e) as visible marker was used for the experiments. Selection of transf ormed tissue with paromomycin resulted in the establishment of antibio tic-resistant, beta-glucuronidase-expressing lines of friable embryoge nic callus, from which embryos and subsequently plants were regenerate d. Southern blot analysis demonstrated stable integration of the uidA gene into the cassava genome in five lines of transformed embryogenic suspension cultures and in two plant lines.