REGENERATION OF TRANSGENIC VEGETABLE BRASSICAS (BRASSICA-OLERACEA ANDBRASSICA-CAMPESTRIS) VIA RI-MEDIATED TRANSFORMATION

A procedure for the production of fertile transgenic brassicas via Pi- mediated transformation is reported in this paper. Transgenic hairy ro ot lines were selected for 12 vegetable brassica cultivars and lines r epresenting six varieties: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, caulif lower, rapid-cycling (all Brassica oleracea) and Chinese cabbage (B. c ampestris). Leaf explants or petioles of intact cotyledons were co-cul tivated with Agrobacterium strain A4T harbouring various binary vector s. The T-DNA region of all binary vectors contained a neomycin phospho transferase II gene for kanamycin resistance, in addition to other gen es. Hairy root lines grew prolifically on hormone-free medium containi ng kanamycin. Transgenic shoots were regenerated from all cultivars ei ther spontaneously or after transfer of hairy roots to a hormone-conta ining medium. Southern analysis confirmed that the plants were transge nic. Plants from all brassica types were successfully transferred to g reenhouse conditions. Plants were fertile and segregation analysis con firmed transmission of traits to progeny.