Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of Solanum gilo Raddi as influenced by explant type.

An efficient system for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of Solanum gilo was established. The marker genes for kanamycin resistance and ß-glucuronidase expression were introduced. A comparison between cotyledon and hypocotyl explants showed that while regeneration was better from hypocotyl explants, cotyledon explants gave better transformation efficiency (46% vs. 32%). Four levels of kanamycin selection (100, 150, 200 and 250 mg/l) were tested for effect on transformation efficiency with each type of explant. Lower levels of kanamycin worked better using cotyledon explants, while higher levels of kanamycin worked better for hypocotyl explants. All nine t0 plants tested for expression of the kan (r) gene were positive. The progeny of three of these plants showed a pattern of classical Mendelian inheritance (3 to 1) for both the kan (r) and the ß-glucuronidase genes.